KEY FACT: Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley has drawn a parallel between the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) agents and the advent of corporations in the 19th century, suggesting that AI agents, much like corporations, could revolutionize industries and society. These autonomous software entities, capable of entering contracts, making decisions, and outliving their creators, are gaining traction, especially in the cryptocurrency space. AI-driven tools like AIXBT have already garnered significant followings, and projects such as Virtuals Protocol are reshaping co-ownership in gaming and entertainment, with massive token value growth. While the potential for AI agents in crypto is vast, skeptics like Real Vision CEO Raoul Pal argue that current implementations are still rudimentary, predicting more advanced iterations soon.
Source: AI Agents
AI Agents: The New Corporations of the Digital Age
According to industry experts, the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) agents is drawing parallels to the advent of corporations in the 19th century. Hunter Horsley, CEO of Bitwise, a prominent crypto asset management firm, recently highlighted this comparison, suggesting that AI agents could revolutionize industries much like corporations did two centuries ago. He shared this insight in a December 30 post on X (formerly Twitter).
"I think it perfectly parallels to the 19th-century advent of the corporation: able to enter contracts itself, hire humans, own things, and outlive people." Source
Horsley further noted that while corporations were initially met with fear, they have become integral to modern society, producing everything we use and consume. Horsley posed a thought-provoking question: "Why won’t AI Agents be similar?"
The concept of AI agents—autonomous software entities capable of performing tasks, making decisions, and interacting with humans—is gaining traction across various sectors. Crypto trader Alex Becker predicted that 2025 will witness a surge in "AI agent/AI fever in all industries," indicating a widespread adoption of these technologies.
One notable AI agent, AIXBT, has garnered significant attention for delivering real-time market updates. Since its launch in November, AIXBT has amassed over 246,900 followers on X, depicting the growing interest in AI-driven financial tools. Matt Hougan, Bitwise's head of research, emphasized the vast potential of AI agents in the crypto space, stating, "The potential universe of AI agents interacting with crypto is infinite."
Platforms like ai16z exemplify the integration of AI agents into the crypto industry. The company is reportedly considering launching its layer-1 blockchain network as part of its tokenomics overhaul. Over the past 24 hours, ai16z's token has experienced a 40.7% price increase, trading at $1.63 at the time of publication, according to CoinMarketCap data.
Furthermore, the Virtuals Protocol, which aims to build a co-ownership layer for AI agents in gaming and entertainment, has seen its tokens constitute 12% of the total decentralized exchange trading volume on the Base network. Throughout 2024, the value of Virtuals has skyrocketed by 6,851%, now trading at $3.46.
However, not all industry leaders are convinced that current AI agents represent the pinnacle of technological advancement. Raoul Pal, co-founder and CEO of Real Vision expressed skepticism, stating,
"I’m not sure what you all think AI agents are, but they aren’t what we are seeing on X currently... those are just bots. In a year or two, you’ll see the difference."
The comparison between AI agents and the early days of corporations depicts AI's transformative potential in reshaping industries and societal structures. The integration of AI tecnology into various sectors, including cryptocurrency, is poised to redefine traditional business models and operational frameworks
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Interesting parallel, thanks for sharing. Few days ago @chrisaiki questioned in the post Should AI agents have their own Hive account? Maybe could be a good idea if these generative AI bots with content quality and interaction came to earn and manage investments in Leo and participate in the Hive blockchain too. Keep safe, thanks and good luck again!