Web3 Executives Predict 2025 Will Be The Year Of AI Agents

Artificial Intelligence Agents: The Transformative Force Behind Web3 in 2025

As we step into the year 2025, a revolution is brewing in the realm of decentralized technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI) agents are poised to transform the Web3 landscape, with early use cases emerging in cryptocurrency staking and onchain trading. Industry executives from leading companies have shared their insights with Cointelegraph, highlighting both the promise and challenges associated with this transformative force.

Agentic AIs: Building Web3 Applications Autonomously

Agentic AIs are machines that pursue complex goals autonomously, without human intervention. These intelligent agents are already reshaping the digital economy by building Web3 applications, launching tokens, and interacting with humans independently. According to J.D. Seraphine, a Web3 AI developer at Raiinmaker, "AI agents are expected to take on a more prominent role within decentralized communities in 2025."

The Rise of Agentic AIs

As of December, Web3 hosts approximately 10,000 AI agents, collectively earning millions of dollars each week from onchain activities (VanEck report). The asset manager expects this number to surge to over 1 million AI agents by the end of 2025. Matt Hougan, head of research at Bitwise, emphasizes the vast potential: "The universe of AI agents interacting with crypto is infinite."

Early Use Cases Emerge

Cryptocurrency staking on behalf of human tokenholders is an early and viable use case for agentic AIs, according to Hougan. Staking involves securing a blockchain network by locking up tokens with validators in exchange for a cut of transaction fees. This process will be automated by AI agents, streamlining the experience for users.

Another notable example is ai16z’s Eliza agent, which autonomously manages an onchain liquidity pool and reportedly clocks annualized returns in excess of 60% (daos.fun data). However, onchain AI models still lag behind centralized counterparts like OpenAI’s ChatGPT in terms of technical dimensions such as speed and computational power.

Challenges Ahead

While agentic AIs hold immense promise, they also face significant challenges. Michael Casey, co-founder of the Decentralized AI Society, notes that "regulatory hurdles" will need to be addressed. He warns that without decentralization, centralized systems will drive us off a cliff, especially with AI.

Technical Challenges and Centralization

Casey highlights two major concerns: technical challenges and centralization. Finding decentralized solutions for high-quality training data while safeguarding user privacy is crucial for creating viable decentralized AI agents. Moreover, AI will face increasing pressure to be regulated, which may disadvantage decentralized AIs.

Regulatory Landscape and Decentralized AI

As the industry navigates this complex landscape, it’s essential to recognize that "big players like OpenAI are lobbying for rules that align with their own models," potentially favoring centralized systems over decentralized ones. For investors, Hougan recommends positioning oneself for exposure while acknowledging the significance of these developments.

Conclusion and Future Outlook

The emergence of agentic AIs in 2025 will undoubtedly transform the Web3 landscape. While challenges abound, the potential benefits are vast. As AI agents continue to evolve, it’s essential to prioritize decentralization and ensure that regulatory frameworks support the growth of decentralized technologies.

Additional Insights from Industry Experts

• Staking and Onchain Trading: Cryptocurrency staking and onchain trading will become increasingly automated by agentic AIs.
• Decentralized Solutions: Finding decentralized solutions for high-quality training data while safeguarding user privacy is crucial for creating viable decentralized AI agents.
• Regulatory Hurdles: Regulatory hurdles will need to be addressed, ensuring that decentralized systems are not disadvantaged.

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References:

• VanEck report: "Web3 Hosts Approximately 10,000 AI Agents"
• CoinGecko data: "$10 billion in market capitalization for agentic AI projects"
• daos.fun data: "Eliza agent’s annualized returns in excess of 60%"