Technology
Proof-of-Computation V2: how node honesty is verified
What prevents a node from sending garbage instead of a real answer and claiming a reward? The Proof-of-Computation V2 (PoC V2) mechanism. It verifies that each node has actually performed computations, and not faked the result.
Why verification is needed
Imagine: you pay a worker to lay bricks, and he lays cardboard and paints it over. Without checking, you can't tell the difference. In a decentralized network, without a verification mechanism, dishonest nodes could send random data instead of a real AI response and still receive GNK rewards.
How PoC V2 works
Each computation is verified by a group of nodes (PoC groups). Several nodes independently perform the same request. If the results match — everything is honest, the reward is credited. If they don't match — a dispute begins: additional nodes vote on who is right. The guilty node loses 20% of its stake (slashing). The mechanism is active from version v0.2.9 (January 2026). BLS verification takes less than 10 milliseconds.
What happens during network updates
When the Gonka version is updated, computation results may temporarily differ between nodes on old and new versions. For this, an Upgrade Grace Period is provided — 3000 blocks (~5 hours), during which PoC disputes are not initiated. This protects honest hosts from false penalties during planned updates.
PoC V2 ensures: every node performs work honestly. It's unprofitable to deceive the network — a fraudster loses 20% of their stake.
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