As we step into the new year, industry executives predict that artificial intelligence agents will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Web3. With cryptocurrency staking and on-chain trading emerging as early use cases, it’s clear that AI agents are here to stay.
Agentic AIs: Building Blocks of Web3
Agentic AIs – machines capable of pursuing complex goals autonomously – are already revolutionizing the digital economy. These intelligent entities are building Web3 applications, launching tokens, and interacting with humans independently. By 2025, AI agents are expected to take on a more prominent role within decentralized communities.
Industry Insights: J.D. Seraphine
J.D. Seraphine, a Web3 AI developer at Raiinmaker, spoke with Cointelegraph about the potential of AI agents in Web3:
"AI agents are expected to take on a more prominent role within decentralized communities. They will be able to build complex applications, interact with users, and make decisions autonomously."
While AI agents hold immense potential, they also face significant challenges. Industry executives warn of technical difficulties, regulatory hurdles, and the threat of centralization:
"Without decentralization, centralized, misaligned systems will drive us off a cliff, especially with AI." – Michael Casey, co-founder of the Decentralized AI Society
The Rise of AI Agents: 10,000 to 1 Million
According to a report by VanEck, Web3 hosts approximately 10,000 AI agents as of December. These agents collectively earn millions of dollars each week from on-chain activities. By the end of 2025, it’s expected that up to 1 million AI agents will populate blockchain networks:
"The potential universe of AI agents interacting with crypto is infinite." – Matt Hougan, asset manager Bitwise’s head of research
AI Memecoins Will Become Utility Tokens
Tokens tied to agentic AI have already seen significant growth in 2024. As reported by CoinGecko, tokens linked to AI bootstrapped upward of $10 billion in market capitalization, mostly in Q4.
Early Use Cases: Cryptocurrency Staking and On-Chain Trading
Industry experts predict that cryptocurrency staking on behalf of human tokenholders will be a viable early use case for agentic AIs:
"We’ll see a lot of experiments, but only a few will stick. AI agents participating in staking, for example, seems like a logical first step." – Matt Hougan
On-Chain Liquidity Pool: AI Agent Eliza
ai16z’s agent, Eliza, has autonomously managed an on-chain liquidity pool, purportedly clocking annualized returns in excess of 60%:
"Eliza is an autonomous AI agent that manages a decentralized liquidity pool. She makes decisions based on market conditions and user preferences."
Challenges Ahead: Technical Challenges and Regulation
While agentic AIs show promise, they still face significant challenges:
- Technical Challenges: On-chain AI models lag centralized counterparts in terms of speed and computational power.
- Regulation: AI will face increasing pressure to be regulated, potentially disadvantaging decentralized AIs.
Investor Insights: Positioning for Exposure
For investors, the key is to recognize the significance of agentic AIs and position themselves for exposure:
"It’s okay not to know exactly what will happen as long as you recognize the significance and position yourself for exposure." – Matt Hougan
As we move forward in 2025, it’s clear that artificial intelligence agents will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Web3. With early use cases emerging and significant growth potential, agentic AIs are set to transform the digital economy.
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