Internet Computer

Internet Computer (ICP) is a blockchain network that hosts whole software systems, from websites and apps to data, payments and governance. The project positions it as a sovereign cloud for AI agents and for organizations that coordinate people, code and data. The protocol copies software and information across independent nodes, so a cloud provider, operator or attacker cannot change them without detection.

Software on the network is packaged as canisters. Each canister pairs Wasm bytecode for its logic with persistent memory pages for its state. Canisters call one another through functions, run asynchronously and can serve web interfaces. Cloud engines let an organization choose the providers, locations and legal jurisdictions that host its workloads while the network keeps its tamperproof and always-on design.

The ICP token is converted into cycles, which pay for computation and are consumed as it runs. It is also used for staking and for governance through the Network Nervous System, an open governance system that operates as part of the network. Developers can build with an AI assistant using the ICP skill library, or create apps through conversation with Caffeine AI.