FAQ
General Questions
What is the Function Network?
A decentralized system for AI inference, connecting gateways to AI providers using FUNC tokens for staking and rewards.
➡️ So what? Why does this matter?
Function Network removes reliance on centralized AI providers, making AI inference more accessible, censorship-resistant, and cost-effective.
What are FUNC tokens used for?
FUNC tokens are used for staking by providers and gateways, distributed as rewards, and may be used for governance in the future.
➡️ How does this benefit me?
Whether you're an AI developer, compute provider, or just using the network, FUNC rewards participation. Early adopters may also benefit from airdrops, staking incentives, and governance control.
What is an epoch, and how does it work?
An epoch is a fixed time period (defined by blocks) where staking, rewards, and network updates are synchronized.
➡️ Why should I care?
Knowing epoch cycles is crucial if you're staking, providing compute, or expecting rewards, it determines when and how often payouts occur.
How are rewards calculated?
Rewards are based on shards (units of work) contributed by providers within an epoch, distributed proportionally from the epoch’s reward pool.
➡️ Can I maximize my rewards?
Yes! Providers with higher uptime, efficient nodes, and well-optimized compute setups will earn more rewards per epoch.
What is the significance of
minEpochsLocked?This is the minimum number of epochs FUNC tokens must remain staked before they can be unstaked.
Will there be points or airdrops for early users before onchain incentives begin?
Yes! Users who participate in inference requests, providing compute, or staking FUNC may earn points that could translate to future airdrops, incentives, or governance influence. Details to come.
Provider Questions
What is required to register as a provider?
Register with metadata (typically the node’s URL), stake FUNC tokens, and ensure whitelist approval.
➡️ Why should I become a provider?
If you have idle GPUs or compute power, you can earn rewards by contributing to AI inference workloads.
What happens if I don’t claim my rewards?
Rewards remain claimable indefinitely but are subject to an epoch delay before becoming available.
➡️ Can I lose unclaimed rewards?
No, rewards won’t disappear, but claiming them earlier allows for faster reinvestment or staking.
What is the penalty for being jailed?
Jailed providers cannot participate in staking or claim rewards during the jail period.
➡️ How do I avoid this?
Maintain high availability, correct node configurations, and avoid malicious behavior.
What does the metadata of a provider represent?
Metadata usually contains the URL where the provider’s node can be accessed for inference requests.
Gateway Questions
How do gateways interact with providers?
Gateways aggregate client requests and route them to providers based on availability and compute needs.
➡️ Why does this matter?
Gateways ensure efficient AI inference distribution, optimizing latency and cost across multiple providers.
Can gateways unstake immediately?
No, gateways must initiate a wind-down process, followed by a staking delay before unstaking is possible.
➡️ What’s the risk of unstaking?
There are burn 'discount' incentives for being staked longer. Unstaking will reset your current discount tier.
What metadata do gateways need?
Gateways typically store routing-related metadata, such as endpoint URLs and regional availability.
🛠 Additional Questions (Airdrops, Points, and Future Benefits)
Will there be points? If so, how do points work, and what are they used for?
Before onchain rewards, Function may institute a points system. Points would represent engagement and contributions within the network and may be redeemable for rewards, governance influence, or airdrops in the future. Please see our Terms & Conditions for more details.
➡️ How can I earn points?
Using Function Network may make you eligible for points. Engage with AI inference, stake FUNC, provide compute power, or use Function Chat to qualify.
What's the difference between Points and rewards?
Rewards are onchain incentives (in the form of FUNC) for performing actions that benefit Function Network.
Points represent engagement and contributions but not necessarily onchain rewards. Points may make you eligible for future onchain incentives like airdrops.
When will airdrops be distributed?
If airdrops occur, eligibility criteria and timelines will be posted on our official channels. Please stay tuned to our official channels for details.
➡️ Should I participate now?
Yes! Points programs will be designed to reward early users. Early adopters have the highest chance of receiving rewards.
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