Telegram’s Pavel Durov Launches Decentralized AI Network on TON

• Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov announced a new decentralized AI project called Cocoon
• The network will be built on The Open Network (TON) blockchain
• Users can share GPU power and earn Toncoin (TON) in return
• Cocoon aims to offer AI tools without sacrificing data privacy
• Durov says decentralization is vital to protect digital freedom
• Blockchain ensures AI data transparency and security

Pavel Durov, co-founder of Telegram, has revealed a groundbreaking project — a decentralized AI network built on The Open Network (TON). The new project, called Cocoon, aims to give users access to powerful AI tools while keeping their personal data private and secure.

Durov made the announcement at the Blockchain Life 2025 Forum in Abu Dhabi, where he introduced Cocoon (Confidential Compute Open Network) as a decentralized platform designed to challenge the control of centralized AI companies.

“Why is it important to do something this way as opposed to the centralized way that is sometimes more convenient? It is important, my friends, because the world has been moving towards a weird direction. For the last 20 years, we’ve been gradually losing our digital freedoms,” Durov explained.

Durov announcing Cocoon at the Blockchain Life 2025 forum. Source: Blockchain Life 2025

Through Cocoon, users can contribute their GPU (graphics processing unit) power to the network. In return, they’ll receive Toncoin (TON), the native cryptocurrency of the TON blockchain. This system rewards contributors for supporting the decentralized AI infrastructure while keeping data secure and away from centralized storage systems.

The idea behind Cocoon reflects Durov’s long-standing commitment to digital privacy and decentralization. He emphasized that the growing dominance of centralized AI platforms is a threat to individual freedom, as they often collect and control massive amounts of personal data.

Decentralizing AI is becoming a major topic among blockchain and AI developers. Many experts argue that centralized AI services create serious privacy risks, from data breaches and hacking attempts to algorithm manipulation that could distort information and public opinion.

Industry leaders, including David Holtzman, chief strategy officer of the Naoris decentralized security protocol, have warned that centralized AI systems make ideal targets for cyberattacks because they store vast amounts of sensitive user data in one place.

Blockchain technology offers a powerful solution to these challenges. By using decentralized ledgers, blockchain can verify and track the origin of AI-generated data, ensuring it remains tamper-proof and transparent. Each piece of data can be stored onchain, creating a verifiable and immutable record that boosts trust in AI outputs.

With Cocoon, Durov hopes to create a fair, open, and privacy-focused AI ecosystem — one that gives users full control over their data and rewards them for contributing to the network’s growth.

Final Thought

Pavel Durov’s Cocoon marks a major step toward merging AI and blockchain technology in a way that protects user freedom. Built on TON, it aims to reshape how people use AI — replacing centralized control with a decentralized model that prioritizes privacy, transparency, and fair rewards.