Author: Haotian
Why must we not miss out on this AI Agent narrative craze? Many still think AI Agents, along with 'AI + DePIN, AI computing power/inference aggregation platforms, AI MEME', are just a fleeting trend. But what I want to say is, they are merely manifestations of different stages of AI + Crypto integration, ultimately driving the arrival of the bull market's main uptrend. Next, I will discuss my views point by point:
1) In summary, the narrative logic of AI + Crypto becoming the main uptrend of this bull market will not change, because the training of AGI large models and the future in-depth development of multi-modal AI industries will increasingly demand traditional resources like computing power, storage, and data. This means the AI industry will be extremely competitive and brutal, and monopolies will be unavoidable, which will inevitably lead to the 'overflow' of innovation demands from some small and medium enterprises.
AI will bring a 'incremental' fundamental change to the Crypto field, and the Crypto world can, in fact, accommodate this wave of overflowing resource demand.
For example, LLM training requires cheap computing power to integrate idle resources for use; also, certain vertical applications in medical and supply chain finance require privacy, and Crypto's ZK+ distributed governance framework will become a key foundation; additionally, distributed inference requires many scenario-optimized algorithm matches and an incentive framework that can record the inference process, which is precisely what Crypto Tokenomics excels at. Therefore, from a larger trend perspective, AI + Crypto is indeed an irreversible inevitability.
2) However, AI + DePIN seems to have caught fire and then fizzled out. Many large AI projects in distributed aggregation computing, algorithms, and inference that received heavy VC investments failed to create much of a stir. Recently, AI + MEME represented by GOAT has shown a new vitality in the market driven by community culture, and the subsequent AI Agent token issuance craze has given the market new hope for large-scale application landing of AI leveraging Crypto.
At first glance, the AI narrative from DePIN to aggregating computing inference services to MEME finally landing on AI Agents seems illogical, step by step disproving the feasibility of AI + Crypto?
But I believe, AI + DePIN is laying the foundational infrastructure; distributed computing/inference platforms are building computing power and algorithm incentive networks; AI + MEME is using secondary wealth effects to accelerate market education and propagation of AI applications; and AI Agents represent the ultimate application landing and user reach.
From this logic, it is not hard to see that the AI + DePIN and computing inference aggregation networks are trying to build AI + Crypto scenarios that are too large and heavy. The external demand they are trying to accommodate has not been sufficiently competitive and mature even in the internet domain, so in the Crypto field, it will naturally appear redundant and meaningless in the short term.
But what if we reverse the order of developing the infrastructure construction and issuing tokens for applications +MEME propagation?
Let the lightweight AI Agents with landing scenarios and needs develop in the Crypto field first. In the process, high-quality Agents can connect with the MEME community for support. Once the momentum of AI asset issuance and AI MEME primitives is strong enough, wouldn't it be more reliable to tackle the large infrastructure of AI + Crypto?
In other words, transitioning from developing 'fat protocols' to 'slim applications', using lightweight and rapidly iterable slim applications to sound the charge, and then utilizing MEME culture based on vertical scenarios to drive secondary market user FOMO, before finally developing the grand technical vision of fat protocols that are long-term and difficult to land, this logic makes sense, right?
3) So, let's focus on the AI Agent narrative. An AI Agent refers to an AI intelligent service that can make autonomous decisions and automate task execution, with the main goal of improving human-machine collaboration efficiency through personalized scenario customization and automated processes.
Common AI Agents have been widely applied in code development, creative content generation, research assistance, personal financial planning, professional field consulting (such as legal, medical), and many other scenarios.
At this point, some may wonder, these AI Agents have already scaled in the web2 domain for quite some time, with their business models like SaaS subscriptions, API call billing, and value-added services operating normally. Why must they issue tokens in the web3 circle to create a bubble? What happened to the promised value applications taking root?
In my opinion, there is actually no conflict. AI Agents do not develop well in a purely web2 environment, which is a premise for many Agents coming to web3 to issue tokens. Furthermore, the value sedimentation of Crypto must go through a bubble-blowing process, and DeFi, NFT, inscriptions, GameFi, MEME, etc., are no exceptions; they all went through a FOMO period of 'asset issuance stories'.
This seemingly nihilistic bubble period, although making the entire industry appear 'chaotic' in the short term, will attract funds and users that will settle down, injecting momentum for the industry's subsequent development.
NFT digital art might seem nihilistic, yet it tangibly caused ETH's deflation. The ornamental art of inscriptions might seem empty, but it helped miners survive the shutdown hurdle before the halving. Similarly, the short-term view of the AI Agent token issuance craze may be filled with speculation, yet it will bring a broader influx of users and funds into the Crypto circle. Looking at the bigger picture, these short-term nihilistic FOMO narratives will inevitably solidify corresponding value; we must not miss opportunities due to prejudice.
4) Finally, I want to say that AI Agents are very important for ordinary retail investors and equally important for project parties in various vertical fields under the heavy pressure of VC tokens.
From now on, we should think about how to empower our chain with AI + narrative: embedding modular AI preprocessing components? Building AI Agent tools suitable for community participation? Spreading MEME culture with AI personality?
The inclusion of these AI elements will make your heavy and difficult-to-implement roadmap appear more 'youthful', allowing stories that originally required long periods for technological landing to gradually apply using lightweight AI Agents, while also amplifying influence step by step with a more entertaining and easily spreadable AI MEME approach. Rather than engaging in meaningless confrontation, why not embrace it?
Embracing lightweight AI Agents and the AI MEME community culture will become the optimal solution for reshaping the past development paths of projects in 'technology, operations, community, market, brand', etc.
Many people dislike turning all value into MEMEs, adhering to the faith of application landing while working in solitude, scoffing at the hype of FOMO, thus often missing opportunities. Yet, there are always those who enjoy turning everything into MEME value, thriving in the financial nihilism of PVP games, while coldly observing the technology and fundamental value supporting this game, ultimately ending up in vain joy and exit.
Come on, let's string together AI Agent + AI MEME + AI Platform + AI DePIN as a mainline, with no opposing distinctions between technology VC tokens and MEMEs, to jointly promote the grand narrative of AI + Crypto, working together to achieve this long-awaited bull market's main uptrend.