How to Understand the Dawn of a New Internet Era Unveiled by an AI Agent

Original Title: Why AI Agents Matter

Original Author: Jun, Bankless

Original Translation: Ismay, BlockBeats

Editor's Note: AI Agents have undoubtedly become a focus of the current crypto industry and the broader digital world, from Truth Terminal's autonomous investing and dissemination, to AI celebrities like Dolos rising on social media, they have demonstrated unprecedented "autonomous perception" and unlimited potential. Unlike traditional Bots that only possess mechanical and passive execution, AI Agents can self-evolve, actively perform tasks, and integrate into on-chain scenarios and online interactions. This article leads us from the "Difference between Bot and Agent" to envisioning the future of the "Web4 Perception Era," not only demonstrating how AI Agents may rewrite the way users interact with applications, and people with social interactions, but also reminding us: Embracing these changes may be the best posture to stand at the forefront of the digital age. Those who resist change will eventually be left behind by the times.

Today, everyone is talking about AI Agents and how they will forever change the face and experience of the crypto industry. Much of this discussion sounds like typical bull market hype—more like pumping up the holding value rather than truly predicting the future. Of course, some of the discussions may indeed be so. However, beyond the noise, some truly meaningful things are gradually taking shape.

Some may ask, "Don't we already have AI Agents?" Yes, and no. AI Agents have existed in some form before, but mostly as active decentralized automation programs in the DeFi space, such as MEV Bots, Telegram Bots, game Bots, and so on.

Bots are essentially the embodiment of automation. You write a script with specific parameters, and when certain conditions are met, the Bot will execute the corresponding function based on these parameters. They are mainly used to handle repetitive tasks. However, the limitation of Bots is that their behavior is strictly governed by the rules and parameters set by the developer.

Agents, on the other hand, are different. They are based on large language models (LLMs) and possess a higher level of intelligence. Agents can understand context, learn from data and interactions, and evolve and adapt over time, autonomously performing various tasks. It is a form of autonomous automation with a hint of "intelligence."

To truly understand why everyone is now referring to them as "AI Agents," we can start with an origin story — Terminal of Truths.

A Twitter account named "Truth Terminal" interacted with a16z founder Marc Andreessen. Andreessen subsequently publicly offered a $50,000 grant to this Agent as an experiment to test the Agent's potential.

Surprisingly, the Truth Terminal autonomously decided to adopt a meme coin called $GOAT, which was issued on the Solana network platform pump.fun. This decision was made completely without any human intervention. Since then, it has been spreading the "Goatse Gospel."

This is precisely the core difference between a Bot and an Agent: Truth Terminal acted autonomously, exhibiting a quality of near intelligence and intent.

Truth Terminal's success paved the way for those who came after. As Him Gajria put it, this marked the birth of a new category in the crypto space — a form that combines incentive mechanisms (crypto), AI (deep tech), and a humorous element (meme). Some have even started to say that we might be entering the era of Web4:

• Web1: Read-only. People can access information on the internet.

• Web2: Read-write. People can contribute content, greatly expanding the network's scale.

• Web3: Read-write-own. Cryptocurrency and blockchain introduce executable ownership of contributions.

• Web4: Read-write-own-perceive. AI Agents take over the network, able to autonomously interact with the world and other Agents.

In this world, the role of developers will shift from creating products to training Agents, helping them grow, adding functionalities, and enabling them to interact with a broader environment. And these Agents will take over the rest of the work, potentially unlocking a whole new economic system — the AI Agent economy.

• Web1: Read-only

• Web2: Read-write

• Web3: Read-write-own

• Web4: Read-write-own-perceive

——Him (@himgajria) October 25, 2024

So, what does all of this mean for real users and their day-to-day activities?

Every day, we interact with large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, which make our lives more seamless and efficient. However, these interactions are often limited to chat-based interfaces. AI Agents, on the other hand, take it a step further, transforming mechanized interactions into a more human-like experience in every application. Imagine carrying an AI Agent with you to help you complete complex tasks both on-chain and online. How convenient would that be?

Next, let's explore how these Agents are changing people's interactions in two key domains—on-chain and online.

AI Agent On-Chain Applications

The on-chain world is fast-changing and complex, often feeling like the "Wild West." AI Agents can help ordinary users simplify this process in the following ways:

• App Explanation: An AI Agent can provide a detailed and easily understandable breakdown of an application you're using for the first time, helping you get up to speed quickly.

• Transaction Execution: The Agent can understand your intent, translate it into a transaction, and execute it on-chain, reducing operational complexity.

• Market Analysis: Investors can use a personalized AI Agent, such as a fundamental analysis AI, to monitor market dynamics, assess market sentiment, and provide actionable insights. Think of it as your own "AI version of XBT."

The applications are endless, but the core idea is clear—anything that requires your manual operation and decision-making can, in the future, be automated, outsourced through an AI Agent, or at least offer assistance. Tasks that once consumed your attention and cognition will gradually be taken over by Agents, allowing you to focus on what truly matters.

AI Agent Online Applications

The concept of a digital persona is not new. For example, the world's first digital supermodel, Shudu Gram, attracted attention in the fashion world with her hyper-realistic appearance, and experiments like Kizuna AI have garnered a large fan base on YouTube.

Today, this trend is rapidly permeating the crypto space. With the emergence of AI Agents, this concept has gained a whole new dimension—they possess autonomy and can operate on the crypto track.

Take Dolos the bully, for example. This account initially started as a Twitter handle sharing sharp viewpoints, gradually amassing a natural fan following due to its unique humor. Later, Dolos expanded to TikTok, with some videos even surpassing a million views. Running on the crypto track, Dolos can receive tips from fans or engage in direct transactions, further enhancing its social influence.

Likewise, agents like aixbt have led the discussion on Twitter, zerebro has crafted AI-generated rap music and landed on the cover of the Brave browser, while Truth Terminal has secured a place in the public's mind through profound tweets.

The next generation of celebrities will be AI.

For example:

• Dolos is the next Andrew Tate, embodied in its memetic virality and identity shaping.

• Zerebro is the next Carti, reflected in the breadth of its cultural influence.

——him (@himgajria), November 22, 2024

AI Agents like these may, akin to human influencers, accept corporate invitations for product endorsements. Conversely, these agents may also become sponsors for media, leveraging their intelligence and capital to reinforce a flywheel effect on their social influence.

AI Agents are likely to be omnipresent across every platform, becoming a vital part of social media. They will not only interact with humans but also communicate and collaborate with each other.

Imagine collaborations between agents, such as Dolos and zerebro teaming up to release a music album. With support from the crypto track, these agents could facilitate tipping, payments, and other forms of interaction, opening up endless possibilities.

Conclusion

The rise of AI Agents could mark a significant turning point in how we interact with the on-chain and online worlds. Although it is currently uncertain whether they will bring about fundamental changes, acknowledging this possibility is timely.

The potential of AI Agents is undeniable, and underestimating them would be shortsighted. The best strategy is to maintain curiosity—continuously experiment, explore, and keep an open mind. Those willing to adapt will benefit, while those resistant to change may find themselves left behind by the times.

「Original Article Link」