Frequently Asked Questions
Basics
What is Cournot?
Cournot is the first AI-native oracle built to verify reasoning itself, not just transport data or verify execution. It delivers low-latency, cost-efficient, and auditable resolutions for unstructured real-world events by cryptographically validating how AI arrives at conclusions before anchoring outcomes on-chain.
How is Cournot different from Chainlink or UMA?
- Chainlink transports data securely but doesn't audit semantic correctness of model outputs.
- UMA relies on human consensus, which is slow and not scalable for millions of micro-events.
What problems does Cournot solve?
Cournot addresses the Resolution Bottleneck: the inability of existing oracle systems to scale outcome resolution for unstructured, localized, or subjective events with speed, low cost, and trustworthiness.
What type of events can Cournot resolve?
Cournot can resolve unstructured real-world events anywhere—including global, regional, and local outcomes that are not easily represented by structured price feeds alone.
Technology
What is Proof of Reasoning (PoR)?
Proof of Reasoning is Cournot's core mechanism for auditing how an AI arrives at a conclusion. It captures reasoning traces from multiple independent AI inferences and aggregates them into a verifiable semantic result, which can be audited and challenged on-chain.
How does Cournot ensure trust and security?
Cournot uses a hybrid execution topology:
- Anchors TEE nodes providing fast inference and signed attestations
- Sentinels Permissionless verifiers auditing results and submitting fraud proofs
- Challenge Optimistic window where disputes can escalate for deeper verification
How fast is Cournot's resolution?
Cournot achieves sub-second or second-level resolution finality by combining high-performance inference with semantic consensus, drastically reducing latency compared to human-centric systems.
Is Cournot decentralized?
Yes. Cournot decentralizes reasoning and verification through a structured node hierarchy (Anchors and Sentinels) and uses a reputation and staking mechanism to secure correct inference and discourage malfeasance.
Can outcomes be disputed?
Yes. Cournot supports an Optimistic Challenge Window where nodes marked as outliers can challenge the result. If a challenge is valid, a deeper re-verification process is triggered.
What role does the network token play?
To be announced — token utility, staking, governance, and slashing details coming soon.
How is Cournot audited?
To be announced — security audits and third-party reviews status coming soon.
Integration
Can Cournot integrate with existing smart contracts?
To be announced — smart contract interfaces, SDKs, and integration guides coming soon.
Which blockchains does Cournot support?
To be announced — supported networks, EVM compatibility, and multi-chain capabilities coming soon.
How do I participate as a node operator?
To be announced — Anchor and Sentinel requirements, staking, and setup guides coming soon.
Will Cournot support prediction markets?
To be announced — details on prediction market resolution coming soon.
Can I submit data sources for Cournot to use?
To be announced — data ingestion policies and community input channels coming soon.
How do I access the Cournot Docs?
Access the full technical specification, API references, and smart contract guides at docs.cournot.ai
Community
Where can I find community support?
How can I request partnership or enterprise support?
We'd love to hear from you! Please fill out our contact form and our team will get back to you shortly.