Arweave launches AO, ushering in new era of decentralized computing
Arweave’s AO revolutionizes decentralized computing
After a year of intensive testing, Arweave has officially launched AO, its revolutionary decentralized computing platform.
The launch follows an impressive test phase during which more than 1.5 billion messages were processed, over 100 projects were integrated, and more than $700 million in assets were pre-bridged, according to Business Wire.
AO: A decentralized supercomputer
AO is not just a smart contract system—it is a full-fledged decentralized supercomputer. According to Arweave founder Sam Williams, AO’s architecture represents a fundamental shift in how transactions and computations are executed on the web.
AO supports unlimited parallel processing, allowing smart contracts to function as independent blockchains. This scalability makes it possible to power high-load applications, from decentralized exchanges to Web3 games. Additionally, AO utilizes Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) for secure computations, eliminating the need for resource-intensive cryptographic solutions such as Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) and Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs).
One of AO’s groundbreaking features is its ability to run full Large Language Models (LLMs) directly on the blockchain. This makes it the first decentralized mechanism capable of executing AI computations within the network. Furthermore, self-waking smart contracts enable autonomous execution without external triggers, a crucial feature for AI-driven decentralized applications.
AO-core: Bridging blockchain and the Web
At the heart of the AO ecosystem lies AO-Core, a protocol that integrates verifiable blockchain computations into standard web requests. This innovation transforms every HTTP request into an AO transaction, adding cryptographic security to online interactions.
By leveraging HTTP3 and signed HTTP messages, AO-Core utilizes existing web infrastructure to ensure security and transparency. Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) can now act as AO-Core state resolvers, significantly enhancing scalability.
Fair token distribution and the permaweb index (pi)
AO has launched with a total supply of 21 million tokens, strictly following a fair launch model. All tokens have been distributed among testnet participants and Arweave (AR) holders, fostering a decentralized and community-driven ecosystem.
To simplify access to permaweb assets, AO introduced the Permaweb Index (pi)—a decentralized index fund that balances key ecosystem tokens, including AO and AR.
This index offers:
- Automated rebalancing
- Participation in fair launches of new projects
- A diversified portfolio of promising projects
Forward research: Leading the decentralization movement
Forward Research, led by Sam Williams, continues to drive the growth of the permaweb ecosystem. With the launch of AO, the company is paving the way for a decentralized future where computations and data storage are permanently secured on-chain, transforming the way we perceive internet applications.
