AI Agents ‘Perfectly Parallel’ the Dawn of Corporations, Says Bitwise CEO
Hunter Horsley, CEO of Bitwise, has drawn a parallel between the rise of AI agents and the emergence of corporations in the 19th century. In a Dec. 30 post, Horsley reflected on how corporations were once feared, yet became a dominant force in the global economy. He noted that just as corporations were able to enter contracts, hire humans, own assets, and outlive individuals, AI agents may follow a similar trajectory, becoming entities that interact with humans and outlast their creators.
Key Insights:
- AI Agents vs Corporations: Horsley argued that AI agents are similar to the early days of corporations, which are now ubiquitous, and AI agents could evolve in a similar way, eventually becoming integral to industries and society.
- Corporations’ Growth: Horsley highlighted how corporations, once feared, now number in the millions, employ people globally, and produce the goods and services consumed by society. He posed the question, “Why won’t AI agents be similar?”
AI Agent “Fever” Expected in 2025:
Alex Becker, a prominent crypto trader, predicts that 2025 will be the year of “AI agent/AI fever,” with AI agents gaining more traction across industries.
AI in Web3: AI agents are increasingly being used to build Web3 applications, launch tokens, and engage with users. One such example is AIXBT, an AI agent providing real-time market updates, which has gained significant attention and amassed 246,900 followers since its launch in November.
Growth in AI-Related Tokens:
Ai16z: This agentic AI platform is considering launching its own Layer-1 (L1) blockchain network as part of a tokenomics overhaul. The token has seen a 40.7% price increase in the past 24 hours, reflecting growing investor interest in AI-related assets.
Virtual Protocol: Virtual, a platform for AI co-ownership in gaming and entertainment, has seen a 6,851% increase in value over the past year, now trading at $3.46. It now accounts for 12% of the DEX trading volume on the Base network.
Differing Opinions on AI Agents:
Raoul Pal, co-founder of Real Vision, has expressed skepticism about the current state of AI agents. In a Dec. 30 post, he stated that today’s AI agents, often seen on platforms like X, are not true AI agents but simply bots. Pal believes that the true form of AI agents will emerge in the next one to two years, signaling a more profound shift in how AI interacts with industries and individuals.
The rapid growth of AI agents and their expanding role in Web3 and crypto reflects their potential to revolutionize various sectors, with 2025 being anticipated as a pivotal year for their development. However, experts like Pal suggest that we are only seeing the early stages of what AI agents will become in the future.
