Cocoon, a privacy-preserving decentralized AI network, has officially launched on The Open Network (TON), the layer-1 blockchain associated with the Telegram messaging app. The platform allows individuals to rent out their graphics processing units (GPUs) to the network, earning Toncoin for contributing their computing power to process user requests.

According to Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov, the network is already live, processing its first user queries and compensating hardware providers. Durov first announced the project at the Blockchain Life 2025 conference in Dubai, presenting it as a direct challenge to centralized services. He argued that intermediaries like Amazon and Microsoft increase costs and compromise user privacy, issues that Cocoon aims to solve.

The Growing Demand for Decentralized AI

The launch comes amid rising concerns over the power wielded by centralized AI systems. Privacy advocates have long warned that concentrating AI control within a few large corporations and governments creates significant risks. David Holtzman, chief strategy officer at Naoris, noted that such centralization can undermine privacy, weaken cybersecurity, and enable social conditioning by powerful actors.

Proponents believe blockchain technology offers a viable solution. By building on a distributed network, AI platforms can verify information sources, maintain tamper-proof records, and allow for trustless communication between network participants. In 2024, researchers from the Dfinity Foundation and executives from Onicai proposed a set of rules for ethical AI, emphasizing the need for permissionless blockchains to ensure transparency and data integrity.

Public sentiment appears to align with this push for decentralization. A poll conducted by the Digital Currency Group (DCG) in May found that 77% of respondents believe decentralized AI would benefit society more than its centralized counterparts, signaling strong market interest in platforms like Cocoon.