0G Compute Overview
0G is the on-chain compute network that Ghast AI uses for inference. This page explains what that means in practice — what the chain knows, what you pay for, and what shows up in the desktop UI.
What 0G is, in one paragraph
0G is an EVM-compatible network (chain ID 16661) whose native token is OG. It hosts a registry of inference providers, each of whom runs a model inside a TEE (trusted execution environment) and exposes an OpenAI-compatible endpoint.
Ghast lets you reach this network in two distinct ways — Router mode (a managed routing service operated by 0G) and Advanced mode (your local wallet talking to provider sub-accounts directly on-chain). Both ultimately drive inference through the 0G provider mesh; they differ in how the request is dispatched and how billing is settled.
Ghast also uses 0G for one other thing (separately, opt-in): 0G Storage, an encrypted backup for your local data. Covered in 0G Storage Sync.
The two on-chain compute contracts
The on-chain compute layer is exposed via two contracts:
- Ledger contract — holds OG balances for users who fund providers from their own wallet. The on-ramp for Advanced mode.
- Inference contract — manages the global provider registry, per-(user, provider) sub-accounts, refund records, and TEE signer acknowledgements.
These contracts are only touched in Advanced mode. Router mode does not interact with them directly — its billing is settled inside the 0G Compute Console instead.
The two ways to use 0G in the app
| Mode | What it is | Where you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Router | A managed routing endpoint that picks an underlying provider per call. Accessed with an API key. | Top up the 0G Compute Console at https://pc.0g.ai/ and generate an API key. |
| Advanced | Your local wallet discovers on-chain providers and funds their sub-accounts directly. | Pay in OG from your wallet, through the Ledger contract. |
Both modes are paid. Neither is "free." The difference is how you account for the spend:
- Router charges your Compute Console balance (set up at the 0G web portal, separate from your wallet).
- Advanced charges a per-provider sub-account on-chain (set up from your local wallet).
Pick whichever fits your workflow. See Inference Modes for the full setup and trade-offs.
What you see in the desktop
- Model picker — lists every enabled provider. Router shows up after you've pasted your Compute Console API key; Advanced providers show up after you've enabled and funded them.
- Capability badges — derived from each provider's declared
supportedParameters,architecture.input_modalities,architecture.output_modalities. Common badges: streaming, tools, vision, JSON mode, reasoning. - Provider URL — for Advanced providers, the on-chain registered URL is displayed in Settings → Providers.
- Console link — Router shows a link to https://pc.0g.ai/ for managing your API key and balance.
- Funded balance — for each Advanced provider, current sub-account balance in OG, plus a Refund button.
- TEE signer status — for Advanced providers, an explicit "Acknowledged" or "Not Acknowledged" indicator.
What stays off-chain
- Your prompts and the model responses. Inference happens inside the provider's TEE; the chain does not see message content.
- Your memory, conversations, and skills. Those are local — see Local Data Storage.
- Your wallet key. Stored encrypted in the Profile Vault; never broadcast.
- Your Compute Console password / session for the Router. That account is managed at https://pc.0g.ai/, independently of Ghast.