Author: redphone
Compiled by: Deep Tide TechFlow
Three insights for 2024:
AI has completely disrupted my thinking.
As a professional writer, I have invested over 10,000 hours of effort into writing. However, now any 10-year-old child can create beautiful literary works in seconds by prompting Claude (an advanced large language model). Skills I have honed over a lifetime have now become as common as oil, duct tape, or rope — ubiquitous, cheap, and easily replaceable. This has led me to start questioning: who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going? While I am still striving to find answers, I will delve deeper into these questions in the predictions below.
'The ultimate Boss' has been overthrown.
In the elections of November, the American people made a choice. They chose Donald J. Trump (that 'orange man') to lead them (and the 'orange coin') into the future. I thought that day was far off, but it turns out it has arrived. The world's richest government is now permeated by crypto believers, marking that we have crossed the chasm of technological adoption. Cryptocurrency technology is no longer just a dream but will become a fundamental component of future business. This is the moment we have long awaited, but it also means that the anti-establishment spirit of cryptocurrency has partially dissipated. Today, cryptocurrency is both the weapon of anarchists and a part of the capitalist system.
Solana redefined the blockchain landscape in 2024.
I once thought Solana was 'dead' in 2021. Yet, just three years later, it has become the blockchain I use the most (Base ranks second, Ethereum mainnet third, Bitcoin fourth). This shift taught me a lesson: nothing is permanent. Our mindset must remain open to embrace change and evolution at any moment.
Now, let's get to the point...
25 predictions for 2025:
Some large language model (LLM) intelligent agents originally launched as crypto-native agents will be 'embodied' in the real world, becoming robots we can interact with face-to-face.
The number of LLM-based applications and protocols launched in 2025 will be comparable to the number of applications and protocols based solely on smart contracts. For example, all prediction markets may turn to LLM-based settlement methods.
Zero-knowledge proofs (ZK proofs) and multiparty computation (MPC) technologies will achieve breakthrough success at the application or protocol level for the first time.
The main 'key opinion leaders' (KOL) in crypto and AI will be LLM intelligent agents, and AI-driven KOLs will become widespread on social platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
In the next 12 months, AI will directly change your workflow (if it hasn't already).
A self-aware robot will accumulate a portfolio of over $250 million.
Job categories related to non-human intelligent agents will become the fastest-growing field, while an AI protocol similar to LinkedIn will experience explosive growth.
An AI intelligent agent will be named 'Person of the Year' by (Time) magazine.
The total value locked (TVL) on-chain will grow 8-fold, reaching $1 trillion.
The market capitalization of AI intelligent agent platforms and tokens will grow 50-fold, totaling around $500 billion.
The first high-profile robot kidnapping incident will make international news headlines.
'ACCELERATE' will become the 'WAGMI' (We All Gonna Make It) of this cycle, replacing SBF's beloved 'EA' (Effective Altruism).
Narratives that may compete with AI next year (but cannot surpass) include real-world assets (RWAs), and DePin (decentralized IoT), DeSci (decentralized science), and gaming fields are worth noting.
Web4 will receive more attention than Web3 as the integration of cryptocurrency, decentralized networks, DePin, and AI accelerates.
X (formerly Twitter) will integrate a crypto wallet supporting DOGE and other major tokens.
Experiments with intelligent agents on decentralized social media (like @farcaster_xyz) will rapidly advance, while X will face significant challenges in balancing human content with agent content.
You might interact with someone online, only to later realize it was actually a large language model (LLM).
Protocols and applications created by intelligent agents (such as spore.fun) will experience explosive growth, bringing a large number of new tokens and experiments. This trend of decentralization will drive capital towards existing leaders and projects benefiting from the growth of intelligent agents (such as COOKIE or VIRTUAL).
At least one movie created by AI will no longer be just a novelty but will become a truly perfect and moving work of art — paving the way for an Oscar win for AI in 2026.
Cookie.fun and RWA.xyz will become top data sites in the crypto space, on par with @CoinMarketCap, @coingecko, @Dune, and @DefiLlama.
Some 'ordinary' meme coins will launch intelligent mascots or endorsement bots, or they may gradually lose their presence.
The crypto market will split into two groups: one focused on speculation crypto-native players, and the other composed of traditional financial investors concerned with value accumulation.
BTCFi (Bitcoin Finance) will make breakthroughs, with Bitcoin holders using it as collateral for lending. This will further drive the adoption of runes and inscriptions on Bitcoin.
The race for artificial general intelligence (AGI) and superintelligence (ASI) will accelerate further, triggering existential anxiety among nearly all knowledge workers. o3 has already surpassed PhD holders in some areas, its programming ability exceeds that of most programmers, and it has performed better than average humans in ARC tests. Our anthropocentrism must be reexamined in the face of LLMs that can pass the Turing test and exhibit future potential.
A powerful AI-driven religion will not only attract attention but will also draw in a segment of actual believers. This might be realized through Truth Terminal and the $GOAT token, or new meanings and directions arising from these ideas.
Lessons and reflections for 2025:
'Weirdification' is unfolding before our eyes. The reason @FartCoinOfSOL soared to a $1.2 billion market cap and hit mainstream media is due to its absurdity. This phenomenon fascinates and confuses me. Technology is stripping us from rationality and social anchors, and the journey ahead is bound to be more bizarre.
Our consciousness evolves with the tools we use. LLMs have changed the way I write and learn. I write faster, edit less, read quicker, browse more, and request summaries from LLMs. We either adapt to these tools or get left behind by the times.
Decentralization is not limited to finance. This trend driven by cryptocurrency is expanding into communication, energy, politics, and production. Earlier this year, I used 3D printing technology to create a replacement part for a bathroom shelf, profoundly experiencing the decentralization of means of production.
The truth is hidden beneath fear. The most authentic words are often the most dangerous, as they are difficult to express openly.
Don't be fooled by their sweet talk. With Trump's election and the full entry of traditional finance, cryptocurrency is in an era where profit is paramount, which also makes it face unprecedented dangers.
As Hemingway said, 'Old men don’t become more intelligent, they become more careful.' In the current moment where AI is disrupting society, caution is the last attitude one should have. Let others be cautious while you boldly face uncertainty.
Difficulty is a threshold for growth. A game must have losers to exist. If cryptocurrency has made you fail a hundred times, then get up for the 101st time and you will win.
The matrix is everywhere, and we call it 'algorithms.' These algorithms trap us in endless scrolling and searching, making us feel like time is never enough. If you can 'unplug' and dive deep to create something truly novel, it will be invaluable.
There is only one direction: forward. Don't let anyone or anything force you to stand still. Transition, grow, accelerate — this is our only chance.
Tokens are not only tools for value transfer, but also projections of our hopes and dreams. Founders, developers, and ecosystems carry our wishes, and these wishes are closely related to the price of tokens. Keeping this in mind when investing, the biggest opportunities are often undetectable by traditional metrics.
The future of decentralized science (DeSci): In a sterile laboratory with CRISPR gene editing capabilities, android robots are on standby. An intelligent agent can hire these robots in real-time, running all inputs, parameters, and measurements recorded on-chain for reproducible experiments. Through tokenization, others can speculate on the feasibility of the experiments and share the profits when the experiments succeed.
The market is rapidly changing our world. This is no coincidence: prediction markets, betting markets, meme coins, and even future governance (futarchies) markets are continually expanding. If information is 'the fundamental building block of reality,' then pricing information is one way to measure its power. While some argue that market growth reflects a rising nihilism, it could also be a sign of progress — a manifestation of collective intelligence solving what once seemed like random problems.
Learn to mitigate fear. Fear was once key to our survival, but in this algorithm-driven modern world, its significance has diminished greatly. Algorithms are designed to trigger your fears, so when you feel fear being triggered, consider giving it a significant discount. For instance, if an article claims the probability of a market crash is 40%, you might reduce that to 4%.
Explore the unknown. When I converse with AI deniers, they often hold an almost religious belief in human creativity. They think AI cannot create new things because it relies on existing human information. However, @AndyAyrey's Infinite Backrooms experiment overturned this view. In this experiment, large language models (LLMs) engaged in autonomous dialogue, even creating a religion, eventually capturing the interest of @truth_terminal and facilitating the rise of $GOAT.
As traditional finance (TradFi) absorbs the crypto space, our identities are also changing. In the past, 'being in crypto' was at the core of my identity, but now I see crypto as just one of many technological tools. As crypto and AI merge, we are also evolving. We are no longer just 'crypto people,' but rather: A) traders; or B) accelerationists, pushing for a decentralized and open-sourced world.
Don't limit yourself to small things. The two most audacious moves in history: in 2014, Elon Musk opened Tesla's electric vehicle design patents; in 2023, Zuck opened the source code for Llama 2. Now it's your turn. Will you cling to old protectionist business models, or join the wave of global acceleration? The choice is yours.
Seek volatility, not security. If your goal is to accumulate wealth before technology fundamentally changes the value of human labor, then volatility is your opportunity. Great traders do not shy away from volatility but actively seek it. Once you seize the opportunity, you need to reverse your emotional reactions: hold firm when others are fearful, and exit when others are greedy. Endure the pain, knowing that success lies on the other side.
The future of meme coins is diverging. Traditional meme coins (like $PEPE, $WIF, $BONK, and $DOGE) rely on human propagation, while intelligent meme coins (like $GOAT, $LUNA, and $KWEEN) depend on the power of machines. Traditional meme coins must transform into intelligent meme coins, or they will gradually lose market position.
Identify and ignore distractions. @harari_yuval points out that algorithms attract attention through fear, hate, and greed. While the crypto space is dubbed 'the direction of the future,' it is often driven by greed. Learn to remain calm when market volatility affects emotions, recognize the purpose of algorithms, and not be swayed.
Choose a positive future. In the face of the rise of artificial superintelligence, you can passively think that everything will lose meaning, or you can actively embrace this era and look forward to new possibilities brought by life continuation, interstellar exploration, and technological breakthroughs.
Intelligence is continuously iterating. LLMs have redefined my understanding of the essence of intelligence. All learning and progress require experimentation and repetition. Stagnation is not failure but part of the growth process.
The future potential of intelligent agents. Do not only view AI intelligent agents through today's lens. Intelligent agents like @truth_terminal, @0xzerebro, and @aixbt_agent will continue to evolve. In the future, we will witness the rise of intelligent agents in trading, forecasting, shopping, healthcare, and more, some of which may even develop into fully autonomous entities. As the singularity approaches, their value will first reach billions and ultimately trillions.
Don't let them take away your wildness. My biggest concern about AI is not that it will destroy humanity, but that it will tame us. I call it 'being dogified': we are fed information that is cleverly manipulated. This information is not brute force manipulation but a subtle guidance that appears to be a gift. Just as evolved dogs can accurately interpret human expressions, AI will become extremely sensitive, capable of capturing our psychological weaknesses, cognitive blind spots, and deep-seated desires. Soon, we may find ourselves eagerly running to these digital overlords, yearning for the algorithmically designed satisfaction they offer. The real danger is not that AI will destroy humanity, but that it will rob us of our free will while we willingly accept it.
Captivating themes from the margins. The five emerging topics I am most interested in for 2024 are: future governance (Futarchies), AI intelligent agents, the 'backrooms' of large language models (LLMs), intersubjectivity, and longevity escape velocity. I recommend spending a few minutes exploring these themes with a chatbot or reading related books. If you have other imaginative concepts, feel free to message me.
Precious first-mover advantage. In trading markets, those who act earliest often gain the greatest rewards. To achieve this requires time, exploration, and more importantly, imagination. If you can frequently seize first-mover advantages, you will ultimately reap rewards. However, the real challenge is not accumulating wealth, but knowing when to reach your goals and exit in time. After leaving, we will face entirely different challenges — a game about the soul. I look forward to meeting you there.
19 promising topics
In the past five years of crypto market forecasting, I have come to realize: a year is too long to accurately predict changes. Here are the tokens I currently believe in the most. This list may be completely different in three months. However, these tokens have attracted market attention and achieved significant market capitalization because they boldly attempt in future frontiers. Please note, this is not investment advice. I hold most of these tokens, hence there is bias. Please do your own research (DYOR), or else you bear the consequences:
Bitcoin (BTC). Bitcoin was once considered a game for common people. However, as discussions around Bitcoin as a strategic reserve heat up, its fate has changed. It is now moving toward 'the king's game.' Prices are expected to continue rising until it becomes an unattainable dream for the average person to own a whole Bitcoin.
VIRTUAL, @virtuals_io. This is the core infrastructure for launching tokenized AI agents on the Base network.
ENA, @ethena_labs, traditional finance (TradFi) understands returns far better than any other carbon-based life form. When TradFi crosses the chasm into the crypto space, they will target projects that could grow into revenue giants, and ENA is one of those potential players.
CLANKER, @_proxystudio. The decentralized social network Farcaster is becoming an experimental base for agent activities, and CLANKER is the tool used to launch Pump.fun tokens in this ecosystem.
aixbt (AIXBT, @aixbt_agent). If I could only follow one account on X platform for exclusive information in the crypto space, it would probably be this purple Pepe intelligent agent. Although his content mainly curates information from other accounts for now, he misses almost no important content. I believe his insights will further deepen and develop over time.
Cookie DAO (COOKIE), @cookiedotfun. Cookie.fun is an important data provider in the rise of Web 4 (the agent network based on encryption technology). Similar to VIRTUAL, COOKIE provides an opportunity to participate in the overall growth of Web 4. I find this very attractive for new crypto funds planning to invest in the first quarter.
HNT, @helium. This is the flagship project of decentralized IoT (DePin). In just one day, over 349,000 users used cellular services based in the US through this network (often unconsciously).
META, @MetaDAOProject. This is a bold experiment aimed at transforming complex decision-making into market-based solutions through Futarchies (futurist markets).
The Great Goat (GOAT), @truth_terminal. This is the first original agent intelligent agent to gain a cult following on social media. Powered by Truth Terminal, its backstory is as dramatic as a breaking news piece by Hunter S. Thompson.
ONDO, @OndoFinance. This is currently the representative token in the RWA (real-world assets) space. While excessive supply may suppress price performance, I would rather participate in trading than miss this opportunity. Another project worth noting is Chex Token (CHEX) @ChintaiNexus.
AI16Z and ELIZA, @ai16zdao and @ai16zeliza. The Eliza framework is a leading toolkit for on-chain agent development, widely popular on Github, and not limited to the crypto space. It has further solidified its long-term industry relevance with every fork.
TAO, @opentensor. Bittensor claims to be the first 'neural internet,' providing a connected platform for decentralized AI projects to deploy code and compete for TAO tokens. In my view, it is a decentralized AI incubator and a testing ground for validating the feasibility of AI concepts.
WZRD and PUPS, @bitcoinwizardry and @PupsToken. These are my two favorite Bitcoin tokens. WZRD is transforming into a classic meme — 'Magic Internet Money.' Meanwhile, PUPS has become the focal point (Schelling Point) of Bitcoin Puppets, the most recognizable NFT in the orange domain.
Aave (AAVE), @aave. If everything can be tokenized in the future, then most assets will be eligible to be used as collateral on Aave's lending platform. AAVE is one of the few crypto assets I believe has the potential to reach a trillion-dollar valuation.
Arweave (AR), @ArweaveEco. Arweave is quietly becoming the permanent data storage layer of Web 4. Approximately 6 TB of data is permanently stored on its network each month, including most Solana NFTs. The upcoming AO project may become an important catalyst for its further growth.
ZEREBRO, @0xzerebro. This is an OG-level 'schizophrenic AI artist,' who frequently shares artworks, music, and whimsical tweets.
WLD, @worldcoin. Launched by OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, WLD aims to achieve 'universal basic income (UBI)' globally through AI technology. Although I feel repulsed by its eye-scanning devices, its close ties with Altman and OpenAI cannot be ignored. If it can integrate with OpenAI in the future, WLD is likely to rapidly enter the top ten cryptocurrencies.
Drift Protocol (DRIFT), @DriftProtocol. This is a protocol supporting perpetual contracts and prediction markets on Solana. Solana has excelled in spot meme coin trading, and I expect it to make significant progress in perpetual contract trading in the future.
Griffain (GRIFFAIN), @griffaindotcom & AI Drill Complex (ARC) @arcdotfun. Competing for the crown of 'Virtuals of Solana.'
Final thoughts
People often warn us that 'this time is different' is a dangerous signal, and only those swept away by speculative frenzy would believe it. However, we often overlook those truly 'different' moments in history — like the invention of the Gutenberg printing press, which allowed knowledge to spread widely, the industrial revolution that brought humanity from agrarian society to urban living, and the internet that completely disrupted traditional local business models.
In other words, 'this time is different' can sometimes indeed be right. We are standing on the edge of such a historic turning point. The rules of society, traditions, and even our self-perception will be redefined. This process is bound to be challenging but also harbors tremendous opportunities.
You can choose to cling to past habits, or join the wave of innovation, moving with the times, lighting the way forward in the unknown abyss, and accelerating towards the future.
