Senator Skelz

The technological advancements that power #cryptocurrency are always changing, just like the blockchain arena. One instance of this transition among #Polygon is its changeover from $MATIC

token to $POL which involves more than just rebranding rather it marks an important progression towards its objectives; the motive is to head the #decentralized ecosystem and become a Value Layer for the Internet. This has captured my interest because @Polygon is one of the top ptojects levergaing on the exceptional services and features @DAO Labs #SocialMining Space offers in Community Building. Moving forward, why would polygon choose to undergo this change to #POL ? And what does this imply for the next course of action? This article aims to unfold it.

The Most Noticeable Differences Between POL and MATIC Tokens
The MATIC token has always been a key element of the Polygon Network since it was first created, providing essential fuel for staking, governance, and transactions on the platform. But POL really takes it to another level. The glaring difference between POL and MATIC is that POL has been designed to support numerous chains simultaneously. MATIC could only validate and work within a single chain at any one time. On the other hand, POL embraces multi-chain validator capabilities in polygon’s ecosystem.
In addition, there is an improved emissions model with POLs. In this case, the community can change its emission rates depending on the requirements as well as expansion of the network. This results into a self-sustaining system that can change over time as polygon expands.

Why POL Is Referred to as a Third-Generation Token
The celebrated POL is a significant upgrade in the workings of native blockchain assets that it is known as the third-generation token. Examples of first generation tokens are bitcoin (BTC) whose main task was to be a store of value but did not have any measure of productivity; therefore, the holders were not able to take part in the activities of the network at all. On the other hand, Ethereum’s ETH belonging to the second generation introduced productive tokens which enabled their owners stake them and validate transactions ensuring security of the platform while earning rewards. According to its founders Polygon, POL goes beyond this and becomes a “hyperproductive” token.
POL enables holders to authenticate multiple chains within Polygon's Layer 2 environment rather than just one chain. It is a scalability-oriented token that provides validators with additional responsibilities beyond validating transactions alone. Such functions include creation of zero-knowledge proofs (ZK), participation in data availability committees as well as overall security for multiple chains across the board.

POL as a Staking Token: What Sets It Apart?
Being a token used for staking, the POL coin is making revolutionary changes. MATIC was also capable of offering stake, but POL offers exclusive ability for validators to validate multiple Polygon chains which enhance the security and decentralization of the network as it enables validators to stake across different chains without forfeiting either their rewards or chances of earning more tokens on one chain.
This means that with POL, validators will be capable of earning not only protocol incentives but also transaction fees from any chain they are validating such that they have stronger reasons to keep it important for long periods; this is why it increases dependability within the system itself. Moreover, there are some chains that may accord extra monetary benefits for a few selected validators thus introducing yet another alluring option that never existed before under MATIC.

The Impact of POL on Node Operators
Switching over to POL comes with many benefits for node operators. One of the most important effects is that it allows them to play a variety of roles within the Polygon ecosystem. Instead of being limited to just one chain like they were before with MATIC, node operators can now validate several chains at once. This makes running a node much more advantageous and efficient.
Additionally, the POL enables node operators to assume other responsibilities including generating ZK proofs and joining Data Availability Committees (DACs), all while still participating in staking. With this extended functionality, these individuals can earn more money and help to protect the whole Polygon ecosystem. Essentially, POL enhances how useful and profitable operating a polygonal node could be.

The Effect of POL on Liquidity in the Ecosystem
The expectation is that POL will improve liquidity in the Polygon environment. The measures of POL will encourage validators, developers and projects to take part in the Polygon network by allowing them to be able to support many chains and gain rewards from different sources, thus increasing incentives. This will attract more liquidity from investors and users, thereby boosting the security and usability of the ecosystem.
Moreover, thanks to POL's emission model flexibility, there will always be resources available for financing new projects, research and development. This constant funding will keep a flourishing and inventive ecosystem thus making Polygon competitive in the long run. As liquidity continues flowing into the network with every new project built on Polygon, it strengthens its sustainability.

The Transition to POL and Its Impact on Polygon’s Long-Term Goals
The move from MATIC to POL is a perfect fit for Polygon’s long-term ambition to become the Internet’s value layer. POL will allow Polygon to sustain a greater number of Layer 2 chains due to its greater scalability, decentralization, and adaptability. As such, it is a vital aspect for gaining mainstream acceptance since it guarantees that more users and applications can be added without putting at risk security or performance.
Furthermore, this new token structure assists Polygon in its ongoing efforts to improve interoperability, better security through ZK technique, and enable community-driven governance. By making the community control over emissions rates and funding via Community Treasury, Polygon has created an ecosystem that can sustain itself in order to face future challenges. Furthermore, POL will help maintain Polygon’s competitive edge within the blockchain space because they are built for exponential growth while still being flexible and emphasizing on community involvement.

Conclusion
MATIC to POL transition is a daring leap into the future for Polygon, which provides enhanced scalability, decentralization and flexibility. POL as third-gen token allows validators to perform multiple tasks in several chains and at the same time guarantees constant funding for development and innovation. In addition, it enhances network security, increases liquidity and aligns itself with long term objectives of Polygon thus positioning itself as an industry leader in blockchain technology. This transformation represents a turning point in Polygn’s timeline determining how the Value Layer of the Internet will look like.

On September 4th, 2024, the @Polygon ecosystem is set to undergo a significant transformation with the long-awaited upgrade from $MATIC

to $POL tokens. This upgrade represents a pivotal moment in #Polygon's evolution, reflecting the network's growth and community driven vision for the future. This gladdens my heart as a member of the #PolygonHub

It is worthy of note that the #POL upgrade is a community-driven initiative to replace #MATIC✅ as the native gas and staking token for the Polygon Proof-of-Stake (PoS) network. POL is designed to be a hyperproductive token with expanded utility, capable of providing valuable services across the entire Polygon network, including the upcoming #AggLayer This upgrade aligns with Polygon's vision of becoming an aggregated blockchain network, offering a more versatile and future-proof native token to secure and support its growth.
The Migration Process
The migration process varies depending on where MATIC tokens are currently held. For MATIC holders on the Polygon PoS chain, the upgrade will happen automatically on September 4th, requiring no action from users. However, MATIC holders on Ethereum, Polygon zkEVM, or centralized exchanges may need to take specific steps to upgrade their tokens. A migration contract has been deployed on Ethereum to facilitate a permissionless upgrade process. The community has also implemented a testnet migration to ensure a smooth transition and identify potential issues before the mainnet upgrade.
The Fate of MATIC holders
The impact on MATIC holders depends on where their tokens are stored. Holders on Polygon PoS don't need to take any action, as their tokens will automatically upgrade to POL. Those with MATIC on $ETH

or Polygon zkEVM will have the option to upgrade using the migration contract or through decentralized exchange (DEX) aggregators. Importantly, there's currently no deadline for upgrading MATIC to POL on these networks, allowing holders to migrate at their convenience. Stakers and delegators of MATIC on Ethereum will see their staked tokens automatically converted to POL, with rewards continuing post-upgrade.
What We stand To Benefit As Members of the Polygon Community and Ecosystem
The POL upgrade appears to be a strategic move aimed at strengthening the Polygon ecosystem. By expanding the utility of the native token, Polygon is positioning itself for future growth and adaptability. POL's design as a hyperproductive token that can serve multiple functions across the network could lead to increased efficiency and broader adoption of Polygon's technologies.
Furthermore, the upgrade aligns with Polygon's vision of becoming an aggregated blockchain network, potentially attracting more developers and users to the ecosystem. The community-driven nature of this upgrade also demonstrates Polygon's commitment to decentralization and user involvement in key decisions.

Conclusion
While any major upgrade comes with challenges, the careful planning, including testnet implementations and clear communication with stakeholders, suggests that the Polygon team is taking a measured approach to ensure a smooth transition. Ultimately, if executed successfully, the POL upgrade could enhance Polygon's competitive position in the blockchain space and provide new opportunities for innovation within its ecosystem.

In times when data privacy has become a headline cliché, Chen Feng's vision for Trusted Execution Environments as a foundation for #ConfidentialAI offers a technical and philosophical framework. In his capacity as Head of Research at #AutonomysNetwork and UBC Professor, Feng cloaks #TEE as 'digital castles'-fortified islands where AI agents are sovereign over their logic and data. This metaphor gives an architectural significance to the otherwise highly abstruse domain of privacy technology and thereby states the mission of Autonomys network in the language of security concepts.
His insights are quite captivating for me as a social miner on @DAO Labs #SocialMining Ecosystem.

#AI3

Why TEEs Outperform Cryptographic Alternatives
The cryptographic toolkit already contains ZKPs and FHEs, Feng says, but TEEs are special because they combine performance and security. Zero-knowledge proofs never come free speed overhead, and homomorphic encryption slows computation down by a factor of 10,000; TEEs, on the contrary, just isolate the execution in hardware so that the execution virtually runs at native speed. For any autonomous agents facing real-time decisions-crush decisions about trading crypto assets or handling sensitive health data, this performance differential is truly existential.
Autonomys’ choice reflects this calculus. By integrating TEEs at the infrastructure layer, they create environments where:
AI models process data without exposing inputs/outputsCryptographic attestations prove code executed as intendedMemory remains encrypted even during computation
As Feng notes: “When deployed, the system operates independently within its secure enclave, with cryptographic proof that its responses...are genuinely its own”. This combination of autonomy and verifiability addresses what Feng calls the “Oracle Problem of AI” – ensuring agents act independently without hidden manipulation.

Privacy as Non-Negotiable Infrastructure
The podcast presents very worrying scenarios: AI therapists leaking mental health data, bot traders being front-run through model theft, etc. Feng's solution: ensure that privacy is the default through TEEs rather than making it an opt-in feature. Aligning with this is Autonomys' vision of "permanent on-chain agents" that retain data sovereignty along interactions.
Critically, TEEs not only conceal data but also safeguard the integrity of AI reasoning. As Feng's team demonstrated with their Eliza framework, attestations produced with TEEs allow users to verify that an agent's decisions stem from its original programming and have not been subjected to adversarial tampering. For Web3's agent-centric future, this goes from trusting institutions to trusting computation that can be verified.

Strategic Implications for Web3
Autonomys’ TEE implementation reveals three strategic advantages:
Interoperability: Agents can securely interact across chains and services without exposing internal states.Composability: TEE-secured modules stack like LEGO bricks for complex workflows.Sustainability: Hardware-based security avoids the energy costs of pure cryptographic approaches.
As Feng summed up: "These TEEs provide an environment wherein these systems can operate independently without manipulation even by their original creators". With the AI space being dominated by centralized players, this view provides a blueprint for true decentralized intelligence-an intelligence whose capability is not gained through compromise of privacy.
Moving forward, the route entities in the ecosystem must collaborate. Autonomys' partnerships with projects such as Rome Protocol for cross-chain storage and STP for agent memory management is the implication that they are not only building technology but also building the connective tissue for confidential AI ecosystems. Now, should more developers take this castle-first approach, we might finally begin to develop AI systems that enable and not exploit, thereby fulfilling the Web3 promise of user-owned intelligence.

The interview with Todd Ruoff - #Autonomys CEO lays out an enticing vision for ethical, transparent, decentralized AI. Three overriding themes seem to prevail: the need for open source and on-chain transparency; #AutonomysNetwork ' agentic framework for #AI operationalization, accountability, and memory; and how decentralization of control over AI really matters in the real world.

As a social miner on @DAO Labs #SocialMining Galaxy, I will take you on a tour through his insights.

#AgenticAI $AI3

Open-Source and On-Chain Transparency: Foundations for Ethical AI
For Ruoff, the force behind Autonomys’ ethical AI approach is an unwavering support for open-source development. He argues that AI made in open source forces consumer trust that technology is free from hidden bias, and to emphasize, the code and training data are open for any kind of auditing. Such transparency is certainly absent in a closed-source system, which in reality is akin to a "black box" that might obscure or mute unethical behavior. Thus, Ruoff made sure that everything under Autonomys was open-source by recording AI interactions on-chain, embracing that every decision and process is visible and also immutable and verifiable. In a way, this type of transparency could be the very glue for public trust and holding the AI systems to the highest ethical standards.

Autonomys’ Agentic Framework: Accountability and Memory for AI Agents
Another standout theme is the innovative agentic framework developed by Autonomys to directly tackle the problems of AI accountability and memory. Ruoff explains that the AI agents developed by them, such as 0xArgu-mint, have an entire memory and reasoning process recorded on-chain. Thus, every interaction, every decision, and even the internal logic of the agent are open for review forever. This framework, in practice, allows for what Ruoff calls a "digital, immutable autopsy" upon the agent's behavior: the highest level of transparency and ability to investigate and learn from the behavior of AI in cases, especially when things go wrong. By providing AI agents with self-sovereign identities and permanent, auditable histories, Autonomys has set a standard for responsible AI to surpass.

Decentralizing Control: Safeguarding AI as a Public Good
Finally, Ruoff sought decentralization in addressing one of the AI industry's most pressing risks: concentration of power. According to him, the way things are now, only a few corporations call the shots in determining the direction and design of AI technologies. Autonomys arose against this backdrop with the alternative promise of being distributed and decentralized, so that no single entity (Autonomys themselves included) may ever assume unilateral control over the application of AI. Apart from granting access to AI, this approach also mitigates the likelihood of abuses of power, serving instead as a fertile ground for inclusiveness and friendly innovation. In Ruoff's own words, AI "should be a public good, not a corporate asset"—a vision that finds itself in many minds in the ever-climbing concern for digital sovereignty and privacy.

Conclusion
Ruoff's insights have illuminated a way forward, calling for the unfolding of open-source transparency, strong agentic architectures, and decentralization, which are no longer just technical choices but must be the ethical compass. His governance at Autonomys instills confidence that it must be possible to build AI systems that respond to safety, accountability, and serve the public interest.