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UNiCORNs

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UN-COntestable Random Numbers (UNiCORNs) are numbers generated by a group with the unique property that no member of the group can influence the UNiCORN to produce anything other than a random number. This characteristic makes UNiCORNs ideal for seeding cryptographic protocols and demonstrating fair (random) selection of elements from an enumerated list.

In the AIBlock blockchain system, UNiCORNs play a crucial role in three fundamental processes:

  • Selecting transactions to be packaged into a block
  • Selecting miners for a block round partition
  • Selecting the winning miner from the participating miners who submit successful Proof-of-Works within a block time

The original UNiCORN paper provides detailed information about its construction and applicability.