# What is Ocean?

<div align="center"><figure><img src="https://932814818-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FzQlpIJEeu8x5yl0OLuXn%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-57a1d138f981d61725ce63ffc680046d97b58048%2Fwait.png?alt=media" alt="" width="60%"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### What is Ocean?

Ocean is a decentralized data and compute protocol.

AI lives on data and compute; Ocean facilitates it.

Ocean has two specific parts:

* A live tech stack. At the core is **Datatokens**, **Ocean Nodes**, and **Compute-to-Data**
* A lively community. This includes **builders, data scientists**, and **Ocean Ambassadors**. Ocean's community is active on **social media**.

Let's drill into each.

### Tech: Ocean data NFTs and datatokens

These enable decentralized access control, via token-gating. Key principles:

* Publish data services as ERC721 data NFTs and ERC20 datatokens
* You can access the dataset / data service if you hold 1.0 datatokens
* Consuming data services = spending datatokens

Crypto wallets, exchanges, and DAOs become *data* wallets, exchanges, and DAOs.

<div align="center"><figure><img src="https://932814818-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FzQlpIJEeu8x5yl0OLuXn%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-256e44313c2159e00f6f3d92a05fc96b650e8404%2Fonramp-offramp.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption><p>Data NFTs &#x26; datatokens are an on-ramp and off-ramp for data assets into DeFi</p></figcaption></figure></div>

Data can be on Azure or AWS, Filecoin or Arweave, REST APIs or smart contract feeds. Data may be raw AI training data, feature vectors, trained models, even AI model predictions, or non-AI data.

### Tech: Ocean Compute-to-Data

This enables one buy & sell private data, while preserving privacy

* Private data is valuable: using it can improve research and business outcomes. But concerns over privacy and control make it hard to access.
* Compute-to-Data (C2D) grants access run compute against the data, *on the same premises of the data*. Only the results are visible to the consumer. The data never leaves the premises. Decentralized blockchain technology does the handshaking.
* C2D enables people to sell private data while preserving privacy, as an opportunity for companies to monetize their data assets.
* C2D can also be used for data sharing in science or technology contexts, with lower liability risk, because the data doesn't move.

<div align="center"><figure><img src="https://932814818-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FzQlpIJEeu8x5yl0OLuXn%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-6bdd4549dca3b6e37075ebc5299af52681e09bf5%2Fc2d-mental-model.png?alt=media" alt="" width="75%"><figcaption><p>Compute-to-Data flow</p></figcaption></figure></div>

### Tech: Ocean Nodes

Ocean Nodes enable decentralized computing by turning idle compute resources into a monetizable compute-ready infrastructure to scale AI.

* Scalable AI Compute on Demand: Access a global network of compute resources for faster training and inference without owning physical hardware.
* Peer-to-Peer Compute Network: Leverage a decentralized network of nodes where participants share compute power directly, enhancing efficiency and resilience.
* Monetization of Idle Resources: Turn unused compute power into revenue by contributing to the Ocean decentralized network.
* Learn more [here](https://docs.oceanprotocol.com/developers/ocean-node)

### Tech: Ocean VS code extension

Ocean VS Code Extension empowers developers to build, test, and deploy AI and data workflows directly within VS Code, fully integrated with Ocean’s decentralized compute and data ecosystem.

* Seamless Development Environment: Write, test, and deploy algorithms in your familiar VS Code interface without switching platforms.
* Integrated Decentralized Compute: Connect directly to Ocean Nodes to run compute-heavy tasks securely and efficiently.
* Simplified Data Access & Management: Easily discover, access, and use datasets on Ocean while maintaining privacy and compliance.
* Learn more [here](https://docs.oceanprotocol.com/developers/vscode)

### Community: Ocean Ecosystem

Ocean has a lively [ecosystem](https://oceanprotocol.com/explore/ecosystem) of dapps grown over years, built by enthusiastic developers.

<div align="center"><figure><img src="https://932814818-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FzQlpIJEeu8x5yl0OLuXn%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-1ae03cacd5cfa004cd169977c25155b7be30a716%2Fbuilders.png?alt=media" alt="" width="50%"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

The Ocean ecosystem also contains many data scientists and AI enthusiasts, excited about the future of AI & data. You can find them doing [predictions](https://www.predictoor.ai/), [data challenges](https://competitions.desights.ai/challenge/list), [Data Farming](https://docs.oceanprotocol.com/data-farming), and more.

### Community: Ocean Ambassadors

Ocean has an excellent [community of ambassadors](https://oceanprotocol.com/explore/community). Anyone can join.

<div align="center"><figure><img src="https://932814818-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FzQlpIJEeu8x5yl0OLuXn%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-b7c0c5ec4203c4a80c57bb20418f0f30016c2ab6%2Fambassadors.png?alt=media" alt="" width="50%"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### Community: Social Media

Follow Ocean on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/OceanProtocol) or [Telegram](https://t.me/oceanprotocol_community) to keep up to date. Chat directly with the Ocean community on [Discord](https://discord.gg/TnXjkR5). Or, track Ocean progress directly on [GitHub](https://github.com/oceanprotocol).

Finally, the [Ocean blog](https://blog.oceanprotocol.com/) has regular updates.

***

*Next:* [*What can you do with Ocean?*](https://docs.oceanprotocol.com/discover/benefits)

*Back:* [*Why Ocean?*](https://docs.oceanprotocol.com/discover/why-ocean)


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