Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has unveiled Cocoon, a decentralized AI network built on the TON blockchain, at the Blockchain Life 2025 conference in Dubai. Cocoon, short for Confidential Compute Open Network, is designed to integrate artificial intelligence and blockchain technology, offering enhanced user privacy and new opportunities for developers. The project is scheduled to launch in November 2025.
Cocoon aims to create a decentralized platform where GPU owners can contribute their computing power to the network and earn Toncoin (TON) tokens in return. Application developers will be able to pay for computational resources to process requests using Toncoin tokens. This system ensures competitive pricing for AI compute resources while enhancing censorship resistance. Participants need to specify the type of model architecture used (such as DeepSeek, Qwen), daily request volume, and average token size.
A key feature of Cocoon is its focus on privacy and data protection. All data is encrypted, ensuring that participants cannot see which specific requests are being processed. This design allows users to interact with AI features like summarization and message drafting without exposing private data to centralized providers. According to the official Telegram channel, this can be called "private AI on the TON blockchain".
Telegram itself is set to be the primary user and advocate for the Cocoon network. The platform plans to embed Cocoon's capabilities into its ecosystem of mini-apps and bots. By doing so, Telegram aims not only to enhance its offerings but also to promote the ability of developers to harness AI features without the risk of centralization. Durov stated that the platform will allow over one billion people to use AI functions confidentially, transparently, and efficiently.
Durov emphasized that the creation of decentralized technologies is the only way to preserve digital freedoms. He framed the initiative as part of Telegram's broader mission to protect user privacy and digital freedom amid growing centralization in global tech.
The launch of Cocoon follows Telegram's recent activities in the AI space, including a partnership with Elon Musk's xAI to distribute the Grok chatbot among platform users. Durov first mentioned the new product during a trip to Kazakhstan in October, where he introduced an AI laboratory, noting that the company had been working for months on technology at the intersection of blockchain and artificial intelligence.
With the full rollout of Cocoon projected for November 2025, opportunities are available for hardware providers and developers to participate in this venture. The messaging service will invest in its global promotion. Investors and stakeholders in the digital realm are advised to monitor Cocoon closely as it represents a significant leap towards decentralized computing solutions. As the project progresses, its integration with Telegram could foster a transformation in how users and developers perceive AI applications within social media platforms. Third-party developers within the Telegram Mini Apps ecosystem have generated over $1 billion in revenue in the past year.
