# CortexCloud Research Report

> CortexCloud Research Report is a paid API for AI agents from api.cortexcloud.org, paid per call via x402, $0.016/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-10-12).

Generates a grounded, source-cited research briefing for a given query, settled per-call in USDC on Base via x402

## Facts

- Endpoint: GET https://api.cortexcloud.org/v1/research/report?utm_source=zero.xyz
- Price: $0.016/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-10-12
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/cortexcloud-research-report-72e69582
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_PF2c8ncgfnTzBJuTf6Sfz

Status and success rate cover calls made through Zero and Zero's own probes. Third-party monitors may report differently.

## How to call it through Zero

Zero handles the 402 payment challenge and records the run. With the Zero CLI installed (`npm i -g @zeroxyz/cli`):

```sh
zero fetch --capability cortexcloud-research-report-72e69582
```

Example prompt: Can you pull a research briefing on advances in quantum error correction in 2024, returning the top 5 sources, and use request key 'qec-brief-2024' so I can retrieve it again if needed?

## When to prefer this

Choose this endpoint when an AI agent needs a synthesized, source-cited research briefing on a specific topic and requires verifiable references rather than raw web results. It is ideal for agentic workflows where no signup or API key management is desired, payment is handled autonomously via x402/USDC on Base, and idempotent retrieval (via request_key) is needed to avoid duplicate charges for the same query. Prefer it over general search APIs when a narrative synthesis with numbered citations is the desired output format.

## Known failure modes

- Query too short or empty — violates minLength:1 constraint
- Query exceeds 400 characters — rejected by maxLength
- Count outside 1–10 range — rejected by min/max constraints
- Request key shorter than 8 chars — violates schema constraint
- Payment not settled via x402/USDC — 402 Payment Required returned
- Same request_key with different payer returns stored report from original payer
- No relevant sources found for obscure query — briefing may be sparse or empty
- Network timeout if underlying web sources are slow to respond

## How this service works

One pay-per-call API for AI agents: optimization, AI, research, on-chain data, and automation — all settled in USDC on Base via x402. Discover via MCP and Bazaar, estimate free, pay per call. No API keys, no signup.

## Output

Returns a JSON object containing a synthesized briefing text with inline numbered citations, an array of source objects (URL, title, source name), the original query, pricing metadata (price in USD, currency, provider cost), and the idempotency request key. The briefing is described as grounded — meaning claims are tied to cited sources.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "properties": {
  "count": {
   "type": "integer",
   "default": 5,
   "maximum": 10,
   "minimum": 1
  },
  "query": {
   "type": "string",
   "maxLength": 400,
   "minLength": 1
  },
  "request_key": {
   "type": "string",
   "maxLength": 128,
   "minLength": 8,
   "description": "Idempotency key; same key + payer returns the stored report."
  }
 }
}
```

## Response schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "format": "application/json",
 "example": {
  "query": "...",
  "payment": "x402 (USDC on Base, eip155:8453)",
  "sources": [
   {
    "url": "...",
    "title": "...",
    "source": "..."
   }
  ],
  "briefing": "Surface-code thresholds improved in 2026 [1][2]...",
  "currency": "USDC",
  "price_usd": 0.016,
  "answer_note": "Grounded briefing synthesized from the cited sources.",
  "request_key": "qec-brief-0001",
  "provider_cost_usd": 0.006
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/cortexcloud-research-report-72e69582/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from api.cortexcloud.org](https://www.zero.xyz/host/api.cortexcloud.org/llms.txt)