📝Quorum-Based BFT Protocol

Quorum-as-Validator: BFT Participation

Each Quorum in LazAI is treated as a full validator node in the BFT consensus layer of LazChain. Quorums participate in ordering and validating transactions related to AI datasets, models, and inference proofs.

• BFT Layer: Built on a Byzantine Fault Tolerant consensus mechanism, where Quorums serve as the proposers, voters, and committers.

• Quorum ID: Each Quorum has a registered QuorumID and validator weight based on its staking level and historical performance.

• Deterministic Rotation: Block proposal is rotated across Quorums; performance and slashing affect rotation weights.

iDAO ↔ Quorum: Trust-Coupling via Economic Bonding

Each iDAO must establish explicit trust relationships with one or more Quorums to publish and validate AI assets. Two flexible trust modes are supported:

• Restaking Mode: iDAO stakes native tokens (e.g., $LAZ) to the target Quorum, delegating verification responsibility. Slashing penalties apply for fraud or invalid proofs.

• DAT-Backed Trust Mode: iDAO may mint AI assets (e.g., datasets or models) as DATs and request endorsement by a Quorum. In this mode:

  • The Quorum acts as a verifier and partial staker of the DAT.

  • The DAT becomes slashing-enabled, provable fraud leads to partial revocation or burn of DAT value.

  • Revenue sharing can be jointly configured between iDAO and Quorum based on the shareRatio.

Quorum as a Hash-Proven Off-Chain Storage Gateway

Quorums are not only validators, but also serve as off-chain AI storage coordinators. They host:

• Raw datasets (IPFS/Arweave/Filecoin),

• Fine-tuned models,

• Inference results, execution logs, and

• OP/ZK/TEE-based proofs.

Only the corresponding hash commitments and metadata are posted on-chain to minimize LazChain storage load.

iDAOs fetch training data from Quorums and submit updates via Verifiable Service Coordinator (VSC).

VSC: Orchestrated Trustless Coorination

The Verifiable Service Coordinator (VSC) bridges iDAO outputs and Quorum consensus:

• Transaction Submission: iDAO sends POV Updates, Model Anchors, Inference Outputs, and Verification Proofs to the VSC.

• Proof Dispatching: VSC asynchronously dispatches proof bundles (e.g., OP/ZK/TEE) to corresponding Quorums.

• Quorum Consensus: Quorums validate the bundles and finalize them on LazChain via BFT.

Challenger-Based Slashing Protocol

To ensure iDAO integrity and data authenticity, Challenger nodes are elected from within each Quorum:

• Near-Real-Time Monitoring: Challengers continuously pull Quorum-endorsed proofs from LazChain.

• Fraud Detection: If an iDAO is found to have submitted a model/proof inconsistent with the training dataset or usage policy:

  • A fraud proof can be submitted.

  • If verified, the iDAO is slashed (token stake or DAT-backed value).

  • The challenger is rewarded.

• Slashing Scope:

  • Native token slashing from restaking.

  • DAT shareRatio burn from endorsement.

  • Temporary blacklist from specific Quorums.

Innovation Points vs Traditional BFT

Dimension	LazAI LQBCP	Traditional BFT
Validator Abstraction	Quorums serve as both consensus validators and AI data providers	Validators focus purely on block finality
Slashing Logic	Multi-source: token-based, asset-based (DAT), behavior-based	Typically token-only
Trust Flexibility	iDAO dynamically bonds to trusted Quorums via staking or asset endorsement	Static validator set
Proof Integration	Built-in OP/ZK/TEE verification with off-chain data binding	Not natively data-aware
Data Provenance Layer	Hash-based anchoring via Quorum storage	Not data-integrated
Modular Incentives	iDAO ↔ Quorum reward agreements via DAT share ratios	Monolithic block reward or fee