An Introduction to the Matrix AI Network

8 min readJun 5, 2019

A brief overview of the Matrix AI Network to get you started.

Please Note: This article is meant as an introduction to newcomers. It will be periodically updated as necessary. Any suggestions to the format can be submitted in the comments below.

What is the Matrix AI Network?

The Matrix AI Network consists of two major components: an AI-training platform and a high-performance AI-enhanced public blockchain. Both work in concert to improve the three core elements of AI technology: computing power, data and AI model.

The Matrix AI Network AI Platform is an AI-training ecosystem built on the Matrix AI Network Blockchain that uses the Matrix AI Network Blockchain to verify data assets, ensure data privacy and manage computing power resources. The ultimate goal is to train AI models to make AI technology more accessible and affordable. Matrix is aiming to advance the practice of AI technology.

Matrix’s core technical team consists of two teams — Matrix Space and Matrix AI — comprising over 40 well-respected and influential AI scientists, chip scientists, communication scientists and blockchain technologists. Matrix’s operations team comprises young, passionate, and energetic people from around the world with experience in community management and ecosystem construction.

The Matrix AI Network AI Platform

Large quantities of high-quality data and massive amounts of computing power are needed to train AI models. Without these three components, AI technology cannot advance. The Matrix AI Network AI Platform, also known as Matrix 2.0, is an AI-training ecosystem built on the Matrix AI Network Blockchain that uses blockchain to manage the distribution of computing power, track the usage of data and AI models, and verify ownership. Blockchain is also used to reward users fairly for their contributions. In other words, all users who contributes computing power or uploads data to train AI models will be rewarded for their contributions; data scientists pay data owners and computing power providers for use of their data and computing power; and App and DApp developers pay data scientists for use of their AI models.

The Matrix AI Network Blockchain

The Matrix AI Network Blockchain is a public blockchain that combines AI technology with blockchain technology. Matrix aims to solve four core problems plaguing blockchain: slow speeds, questionable security, high barriers to entry and huge energy waste by using cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to create a self-optimizing blockchain in order to improve speed, security, ease of use and social value.

Matrix is developing intelligent contracts leverage AI technology to allow people to deploy a wide range smart contract templates simply by using natural language voice or text inputs in English and Chinese. In the future, we expect to support individually customized intelligent contracts using natural language inputs. Our intelligent contracts allow average users to complete transactions over blockchain without knowing how to code. Matrix also employs formal verification technology to make contracts and code more secure, and to offer greater protection to people and their assets.

Matrix’s value-added green mining AI algorithms will replace the hash model later in 2019. This will transform the proof of work (PoW) consensus mechanism into a product with social value. Matrix’s hybrid PoS, PoW and BFT consensus mechanism allows nodes that aren’t performing mining and verification tasks to provide excess computing power for useful AI causes. This aggregated computing power can be dedicated to areas like cancer diagnosis, image recognition, or building financial models. This fundamentally transforms the waste inherent to most blockchain projects.

The Matrix AI Network team is dedicated to making blockchain and AI technology truly accessible to everyone. As it enters its next phase, a small amount of the network’s computing resources will continue to conduct mining and verification tasks while much of the available computing resources will be organized to form a globally distributed computing network to provide AI services to everyone. Matrix is poised to revolutionize and democratize the field of Artificial Intelligence using a blockchain-powered decentralized computing platform.

The Matrix Mainnet Architecture

Using PoW mechanisms, MAN has the hard cost of mining as the guarantee of currency price. Miners can hardly sell digital currency below the cost price. With the increase of computing power, the rising mining cost will make the currency price stable and upward, which also restricts the problem of the over-concentration of digital currency in the single PoS mechanism.

In order to speed up consensus, Matrix’s Mainnet architecture separates block packing tasks from HASH computing. MATRIX adopts the concept of Verifiable Random Function (VRF) and solidifies it in the underlying code. By including the concept of Nodelevels, the Matrix AI Network performs hierarchical rotations each selection cycle while merging entry and exit layers to maximize the stability and efficiency of the network.

Separating Mining and Verification Masternodes further improves the security of Matrix AI Network and reduces the excessive demand for computing power. Unused computing power can be redirected to complete other computing tasks and train AI models.

Matrix’s Verification Masternodes and BFT mechanisms enable communication between multiple public chains, between public chains and consortium chains, and between multiple consortium chains. Similarly, Matrix enables communication between the Matrix Mainnet, sub chains and side chains. Matrix’s Verification Masternodes and BFT mechanisms guarantee the confirmation of transactions and limits the possibility of a Mainnet hard fork — all while guaranteeing the decentralization of decision-making power.

The Matrix Consensus Network Architecture

Matrix’s HPoW consensus mechanism is a hybrid PoS, PoW and BFT consensus mechanism that meets the performance and security requirements without abandoning the notion of decentralization.

The normal operation of the Matrix AI Network depends on Matrix Mining Masternodes, Verification Masternodes and Broadcast nodes. Every cycle, via an election algorithm, the Mining Network selects Mining Masternodes to perform mining tasks and provide a computing power guarantee. The Verification Network selects the Verification Masternodes to generate blocks and perform verification tasks.

The primary purpose of Matrix’s Mining Masternodes is to perform mining tasks and calculate mining algorithms while providing protection to the network. Currently, 32 Mining Masternodes are elected every cycle. In addition to mining tasks, Mining Masternodes send transactions to Verification Masternodes to complete the verification tasks.

There are three types of Verification Masternodes: Selected Verification Masternodes, Backup Verification Masternodes, and Supplementary Verification Masternodes. Selected Verification Masternodes are chiefly responsible for verifying transactions, packing the block and ensuring block correctness. Currently, 19 Selected Verification Masternodes and 5 Backup Masternodes are elected per cycle. Each time a new block is issued, a Selected Verification Masternode is chosen as the Leader. The Leader, selected in sequence to ensure fairness, is responsible for the final block packing work. The sequence is remade every cycle. All Selected Verification Masternodes verify transactions and vote to confirm the results. If more than 2/3rds agree, the block is confirmed. Verification Masternodes are also responsible for verifying the online status of other Selected Verification Masternodes. The role of the Backup Verification Masternodes is simple. Should a Selected Verification Masternode go offline or be otherwise unable to perform verification tasks, a Backup Verification Masternode will take its place. When a Backup Verification Masternode becomes unavailable, the Supplementary Verification Masternode springs into action.

Broadcast blocks are generated by Broadcast Nodes. These blocks carry broadcast transactions and other network-relevant information. A broadcast block is issued every 100 blocks.

Matrix Masternode Details

Election Algorithms

1. Mining Masternodes
Mining Masternodes require a stake of at least 10,000 MAN tokens. Beyond that, Mining Masternode selection has nothing to do with stake quantity. Mining Masternodes are randomly selected, with equal probability.

2. Verification Masternodes
Verification Masternodes require a stake of at least 100,000 MAN. Any Verification Masternode with a stake exceeding 1/19th of the total MAN tokens staked by all Verification Masternodes in the network is guaranteed selection. All other Verification Masternodes are selected according to their stake. The probability of selection can be estimated using a simple formula:

The real formula is considerably more complex but yields similar results. The reason we use a more complex algorithm to manage selection is to reduce selection variability in small time frames.

Block Timeout
If a block leader fails to perform their duties, they will timeout and be replaced. The time to timeout is 60 seconds.

Voting Timeout
In order to verify and package transactions in a block, at least 13 of the selected Verification Masternodes must agree via a voting mechanism. If a Verification Masternode fails to vote, they timeout and are replaced. The time to timeout is 40 seconds.

Matrix AI Network Block Details

Maximum Supply: 1,000,000,000 MAN

Total Block Reward Supply: 400,000,000 MAN

Block Time: 9 seconds

Block Reward: 16 MAN

Block Cycle: 5 million blocks. Every 5 million blocks, the block reward is reduced to 85% of the preceding block cycle’s block reward value.

Matrix AI Network Block Reward Distribution

Stake Rewards: Stake rewards are distributed to every person with a stake every 3,600 blocks.

Transaction Fees: 40% of transaction fees will go to block verifiers, while the rest portion is distributed to selected verifiers. Rewards are positively related with your stakes.

Matrix AI Network Masternode Penalties

Any Verification Masternode that fails to perform its duties for the entirety of a selection cycle will forfeit its next 10 selections.

Matrix AI Network Manual Token Swap

There is currently no time limit to the Matrix manual token swap. The specific operations can be viewed in Matrix AI Network Token Swap Manual, which can be downloaded from official Matrix AI Network website.

Matrix AI Network Verification Masternode Pools

There are two primary roles as it pertains to Joint Mining: the creator and the pool participants. Creators deploy the Verification Masternode and manage all equipment. Participants contribute stake to increase the strength of the Verification Masternodes. Read more about specific requirements and procedures.

Matrix AI Network Web Wallet

Transactions, Masternode functions, AI transactions and smart contract creation are all available in the Matrix web wallet. A guide outlining the wallet’s functions can be downloaded from official Matrix AI Network website.

Matrix AI Network Blockchain Browser

The Matrix Blockchain Browser allows you to monitor the Matrix Mainnet status. You can also monitor the current block height, block time, transactions, max TPS and more.