Weight Copying

Some validators choose not to check miners ' work directly. Instead, they copy scores that other validators give. This lets them earn rewards without running any validation themselves. They don't need to buy servers or hire staff to earn TAO .

Copiers use two main methods:

• Consensus Copying: Copiers calculate and use the stake -weighted average of all validator weights . This method gives them the highest possible rewards since their weights perfectly match the network's consensus. Think of it like copying the class average instead of doing the work yourself.

• Single Validator Copying: In this simpler approach, copiers choose one or more trusted validators and copy their weights directly. While easier to do, this method earns less than consensus copying because it only matches one validator's view instead of the perfect network average.

Both ways let them earn rewards without doing real work. They often make more money than honest validators while spending much less.

Weight copying hurts the network in two ways. First, copiers get rewards meant for validators who do real work. Second, fewer validators actually check miners' work. This makes the network less secure and less fair.

Bittensor fights weight copying in two ways. First, commit-reveal hides new weights for a set time. This forces copiers to use outdated data, reducing their rewards. Second, liquid alpha (consensus-based weights) slows down how fast copiers can change their weights. Together, these tools give honest validators an advantage. Validators who find good miners early earn more than those who just copy others' scores.