Vana Mainnet and $VANA Token Launch Break Through the Data Wall Limiting AI Development While Preserving Privacy and Giving Users a Stake in the Value Their Data Generates

Georgetown, Cayman Islands, December 16th, 2024, Chainwire

During the testnet phase, over 1.3m users contributed more than 6.5m data points to train user-owned AI models. On mainnet, DataDAOs will leverage the $VANA token to enable users to collectively own, monetize and govern their personal data for a stake in the booming AI economy.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16 2024 — Vana, the pioneering network for user-owned data, today announced the launch of its mainnet and native $VANA token. The launch marks a significant milestone in breaking through the data wall that’s limiting AI development while preserving privacy and giving users a stake in the value their data generates.

Developed by Open Data Labs — a San Francisco-based research and technology company born out of the MIT Media Lab — the Vana network is an EVM-compatible blockchain that enables users to maintain ownership and control over their personal data while allowing that data to be used for AI model training through privacy-preserving technologies.

The mainnet launch follows Vana’s successful testnet phase, which saw over 1.3 million users contributing over 6.5m data points to DataDAOs, processing approximately 1.7 million transactions daily. The testnet demonstrated that programmable data ownership is not just possible, but critical at this point in AI development, says Anna Kazlauskas, CEO of Open Data Labs and inventor of Vana:

“Today’s mainnet launch marks a fundamental shift in how data is owned and monetized in the AI era. Users have always legally owned their data, but platforms have captured all the economic value — and most users don’t even realize their data is legally theirs!

“Vana lays the groundwork for a new kind of data economy – one where users can benefit from the AI models they help create, and where developers can finally access the cross-platform datasets needed to build truly powerful AI. Property rights were the foundation that enabled modern economies to flourish – and in today’s digital economy, programmable data rights are the foundation for the next generation of AI.”

The key features of the Vana mainnet will include:

Proof-of-Contribution System: With the network’s proof-of-contribution system, users can earn by contributing their data to DataDAOs – receiving dataset-specific tokens that grant governance rights while maintaining control over how their data are used. These data tokens can be traded for $VANA, the network’s native currency. The top DataDAOs also receive DataDAO rewards. Beyond data contributions, users can earn additional tokens by running nodes, validating transactions, and staking to DataDAOs.

Native $VANA Token: With a total supply of 120 million tokens, $VANA will serve as the foundation for the network’s economic model, enabling:

DataDAO Governance: $VANA will be used for on-chain governance of DataDAOs, enabling data contributors to vote on how their collective data is used, governed, and compensated.

DataDAO Staking: Users can stake their $VANA on DataDAOs to amplify the earning power of the data in each DataDAO. Staking on a DataDAO will increase the data contribution rewards for all users in that DataDAO.

DataDAO Creation: To launch a new DataDAO on Vana, users will need to stake a bond of $VANA tokens, which will be returned to the user if the DataDAO is successfully launched.

DataDAO Rewards: The top 200 DataDAOs will receive additional rewards from the network in the form of VANA tokens, which will be distributed pro-rata to all users who staked on the DataDAO.

Among the DataDAOs building on Vana are DNA DAO, addressing privacy concerns around genetic data ownership, and an expansion of the successful Reddit Data DAO, which has already demonstrated the potential of community-owned data pools. Read more about DataDAOs on Vana here.

The mainnet launch comes at a crucial time when AI development faces increasing data scarcity, while users seek greater control over their digital footprint. Vana’s solution enables individuals to participate in and benefit from the AI economy while maintaining sovereignty over their data.

As AI hits a data wall and more platforms monetize user data without sharing any upside with users, users deserve to own a stake in the future of AI, says Art Abal, CEO of Vana Foundation:

“The current way we buy and sell private data in Web2 is broken. Our data is extracted and held for ransom by a few platforms and data-brokers. They decide how much our data is worth, and the technology it creates. No more. This is just the beginning of a future where we can decide our data’s worth and decide what technology it creates. This is the data revolution!”

Users can start staking $VANA on Data Hub here