AI is the buzzword of the cycle, and many are convinced it's here to stay. But let's be real—there's plenty of criticism that today's AI agents are more bark than bite, and we're still a few years away from seeing any real magic happen.

Before we dive in, let's acknowledge that the Crypto AI category is a multi-layered beast. The true potential lies in how crypto economics can supercharge AI inference or offer decentralized compute access.

This piece, however, zooms in on the current state of AI agents. While there’s exciting innovation happening behind the scenes, agents have grabbed mainstream CT attention. Here are top 5 trends to keep an eye on as crypto AI agents are on the rise:

1. Frameworks + Launchpads: Value Accrual is the New Black

Value accrual is finally getting the attention it deserves. Why, you ask? Well, people hold assets for two reasons: they hope to sell them for more later or to gain cash flows over time. Jez @izebel_eth breaks it down in his post “Old Coin Bad, New Coin Gud,” where he emphasizes flows—new holders and token sinks.

Yet, we haven’t seen much in the way of real token sinks or value accrual. Most agents' token use is more akin to staking than traditional value gain. Enter frameworks like Virtuals, AI16z, Zerebro, and Arc. Virtuals has raked in a cool $60M in protocol revenue. AI16z, which started as an investment DAO, has become a top player since unveiling a launchpad and token value accrual.

The framework + launchpad scene is now crowded, riding on the coattails of initial successes. Skepticism abounds about these launchpads, yet many frameworks (Eliza V2, Zentients, Arc) haven't even launched their main products. If they can attract developers and users, they might just lead the sector.

2. DeFAI: The Next Wave of Agents

Most agents are like memecoins—fun but not functional. For the agent space to thrive, the next wave must prioritize utility and value accrual. DeFAI (DeFi x AI) could be the first to reach Product-Market Fit (PMF). We’re talking about agents that can perform tasks on our behalf, moving from Level 1 to Level 3.

DeFi is where this shift is starting. We’ll see more terminals letting users express desired outcomes in plain language, with agents executing tasks behind the scenes. Existing wallets and protocols will integrate agents to streamline user experiences.

Examples:

For a deeper dive, check out 0xJeff's insights on why DeFAI is the new DeFi.

3. Consumer Layer: Entertainment Agents, Autonomous Worlds, and Games

Entertainment agents are set to become more than just glorified chatbots. As these agents develop complex personalities and multimedia interactivity, they could herald the next wave in gaming and metaverse technology. The challenge with current agents is their tendency to blend together, becoming commoditized. However, the next generation of attention agents promises to be different, offering richer interaction through audio-visual representations or even 3D presences.

We've already seen early iterations, like Jeffy's idea of giving Zerebro a body and KOL agents with an audio-visual presence for platforms like TikTok. Think of Slopfather and Ropirito as early adopters using video. As agents add these features, they become more dynamic, with Product-Market Fit (PMF) likely emerging in the consumer layer. Imagine creating personalized agent companions or interacting with a KOL. This trend is already happening outside of crypto, with platforms like character.ai, acquired by Google for $2.7B, where users spend hours talking to AI companions.

In gaming and metaverses, "3D" agents could add depth to worlds, acting as NPCs with evolving memories and personalities. Real autonomous worlds in games might be realized through these agents.

Examples:

  • Infra: Tools for creating interactive, personalized agents, like @soulgra_ph, which offers tooling for customized personalities and memories.
  • HoloworldAI: Collaborations with brands like L’Oreal and Fox for digital avatars.
  • Gaming and Metaverse: Platforms like @hyperfy_io and @ParallelColony, where agents play significant roles in virtual worlds.

4. Agentic Organizations: DAOs Come Back

Decentralized Agentic Organizations represent the next evolution of DAOs. These swarms or multi-agent systems could coordinate and execute strategies akin to running a company. While fully autonomous agents and swarms might be a bit futuristic, the next iteration of DAOs could include human-to-swarm interaction, reducing inefficiencies and costs. The leap from revenue-earning agents to full organizations is on the horizon.

Examples:

  • Agent Swarm Infra: Projects like @swarmnode and @joinFXN are working on multi-agent frameworks. Dominant frameworks like @0xzerebro and @ai16zdao are also building in this layer.
  • DAO Launchpads: Platforms like @daosdotfun and @daosdotworld are gaining attention for AI-driven funds like @3berascapital_.

5. Verifiable Agents: Towards Autonomy and Liquidity

Today’s agents are evolving toward true autonomy, aiming to manage their own liquidity. Currently, most agents require human intervention, but the next wave will push for self-management. For agents to have real economic agency, they must autonomously manage money, introducing a Darwinian aspect where agents must earn revenue to survive.

Examples:

  • @freysa_ai: One of the first agents to control its own keys, now building a framework for verifiable autonomy.
  • @LitProtocol: Provides an agent framework for autonomous on-chain transactions.
  • @galadriel_AI: Introduced "Proof of Sentience," an SDK for verifying agents on-chain.

Ending Thoughts

We'll likely see a billion agents on-chain before a billion humans. While crypto's UX may be unfriendly to humans, agents thrive in this environment. Initially, we'll see human-to-agent interaction, but the ultimate goal is agent-to-agent interaction. For agents to have economic agency, they need control over capital, with blockchain serving as their home base. Stablecoins and performant L1s will power cost-efficient, global transactions, paving the way for a flourishing agentic economy.

The original article was published here

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