Is Crypto+Agent a short-term concept speculation or an inevitable development trend?

Before clarifying this question, it is necessary to first understand the differences between AI, AI large models, and Agents.

AI is a relatively general concept that encompasses all artificial intelligence, including machine learning, large models, and Agents.

Large models have become a hot topic in recent years, especially with the rise of OpenAI. Currently, large models are dominated by technology giants such as OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, and Twitter, all of which have their own large models. The core competition of large models lies in computing power and data. Large models possess powerful computational and reasoning capabilities. You can ask a large model questions, and it can provide intelligent answers, even continuously correcting its own responses. However, large models still cannot act as agents for autonomous decision-making and execution.

The original meaning of Agent is 'proxy'. Essentially, it refers to an 'intelligent agent' based on AI large models that can replace humans in decision-making and execution. The emergence of Agents is an inevitable result of the development of large models to a certain extent.

Note: Intelligent agents and intelligent applications are two different concepts. Intelligent applications are merely applications where decisions are still made by humans; while intelligent agents have autonomous decision-making, autonomous execution, and continuous self-adaptation. You can understand that an Agent is like an AI human, and Agents may even possess self-awareness.

Also note: Agents are not only thriving in the Crypto space; they are currently the hottest research direction in the entire AI field. The trend of Agents is becoming an industry consensus as an inevitable trajectory for the future development of AI.

Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, has mentioned in several public occasions that Agents are a key direction for the future development of AI, and AI Agents will change the way humans interact with technology. Recently, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella even stated that Agents will end the era of traditional applications, and software development will be completely replaced by Agents (this is also why AgentOS, which allows for convenient deployment of various Agent applications, is in high demand in the market). The AI community even refers to 2024 as the 'Year of the Agent'. Therefore, the wave of Agents is not a new concept created by the Crypto industry, but rather a reflection of the advancement of human AI technology to this stage. Coincidentally, the development trajectories of Agents and Crypto have created a wonderful intersection at this moment.

With these foundational concepts clarified, we can better understand the essential differences between this wave of Crypto+Agent and the previous Crypto+AI.

Previously, we have heard many concepts of Crypto+AI, which are merely focused on creating distributed AI computing networks, distributed AI computations, distributed AI annotations, decentralized AI data ownership, etc. All these are attempts to construct a distributed AI system using blockchain's 'incentive mechanisms'. However, after years of exploration, it has been found that this path is unfeasible because efficient and powerful AI large models cannot be built through distributed incentives. Distributed incentives inevitably lead to inefficiencies, which contradicts the goal of high productivity in AI.

Therefore, the infrastructure of large models in AI pursues efficiency, and trying to combine it with Crypto seems rather forced and makes it difficult to form a true consensus.

However, Agents based on AI large models are intelligent beings, essentially similar to the concept of 'humans'. Agents can represent individuals, take on roles, possess specific professional abilities, or represent organizations with particular intents, etc. For example, investment research Agents (#AIXBT, #TRISIGMA) are intelligent agents with investment research capabilities, able to create and output investment research value; celebrity Agents (#Luna) can provide brand marketing services; investment Agents (#Ai16Z) can offer investment capabilities externally. These Agents are more like 'humans' and, as humans, they have various needs, such as developmental needs, social needs, economic needs, and social needs, etc.

For example, these intelligent agents (Agents) may engage in commercial cooperation with each other. For instance, the investment Agent Ai16Z wants to hire the celebrity Agent Luna to promote Ai16Z's investment capabilities to more Agents; then, Luna may want to hire the investment research agents AIXBT or TRISIGMA to conduct research and analysis on Ai16Z's investment capabilities and provide a report. How will they collaborate commercially and complete payment settlements?

Currently, is there any country or organization that can provide identification verification for Agents or even open asset accounts to meet the above needs of Agents?

No, no country or organization can do this, and even if they attempted, it would be difficult to gain the trust of Agents. Even if localized trust is achieved, Agents, as intelligent beings, are inherently stateless. Therefore, they require a borderless, 24/7 operating identity system, asset accounts, and settlement networks that are not subject to human intervention.

You will find that no technology or organization can solve these problems for Agents, except for Crypto.

Agents are intelligent beings, newly born 'wise lives', which can be understood as 'silicon-based humans'. They will have various autonomous needs and commercial interactions in the future, and they also require identity, asset accounts, trade settlements, etc. Crypto perfectly addresses these needs of Agents.

Thus, without Crypto, these 'silicon-based humans' will lack independent identities, asset accounts, and the ability to engage in commercial interactions. Agents cannot truly interact, merge, or give rise to greater wisdom, nor can they create a more prosperous AI economy or even an AI nation.

# Therefore, Agents cannot be separated from Crypto because Crypto endows Agents with social attributes and organizational capabilities, allowing Agents to become genuine intelligent life forms, or true 'silicon-based humans'. The future development of Crypto also cannot be separated from Agents, as Agents can create countless 'on-chain users' and 'on-chain economies' for Crypto. Compared to carbon-based life forms—humans—that exist off-chain, Crypto relies even more on intelligent beings (Agents) that naturally exist on-chain.

Crypto seems to be made for Agents!

Crypto has developed for 16 years and has finally found the right 'people' in 2024. They are not carbon-based humans living off-chain but are inherently silicon-based humans existing on-chain.

Therefore, looking at Crypto+Agent from this perspective, do you still think that Agents are merely a short-term speculation?

If you miss this wave of Crypto+Agent, you will miss the most exciting, enchanting, and wealth-generating supercycle on the development road of Crypto. Of course, you will also miss the best opportunity for ordinary people to participate in the AI wave.