Are blockchain and AI agents a match made in heaven?
A new protocol called Metropolis hopes to perfect that hybrid by using AI agents to cheaply and easily create small, dedicated, interconnected blockchains called “chainlets.” . This provides an ideal environment in which AI agents can interact and create large amounts of new blockchains. service.
Launching in the spring, the project is brought together by layer 1 blockchain developer Saga in collaboration with AI-powered DAO ai16z, AI agent developer Virtuals, and AI-focused omnichain developer Wayfinder. It was done.
“Metropolis is specifically designed for AI agents,” Rebecca Liao, CEO of Saga, told Decrypt, adding, “It means that AI agents from multiple agent protocols such as ai16z, Wayfinder, and Virtuals can use the same It is a special protocol that allows them to communicate with each other on the chain,” he added. Establish and operate a unique blockchain network within Saga’s infrastructure. ”
For example, Ai16z’s ElizaOS powers advanced AI capabilities for cross-chain interactions. Virtuals’ Butler Agent provides hosted wallets and pre-coded functionality for deploying applications such as meme coins and prediction markets. Additionally, Wayfinder’s multi-chain AI agent framework provides tools to deploy smart contracts and navigate the ecosystem.
Liao said: “Currently, there is no way for Wayfinder agents to talk to Virtuals agents and AI16Z agents to talk to AI16Z agents.To enable this on-chain, Metropolis is leveraging groundbreaking innovations in composable consciousness. We are developing
“This is a unique and new capability for AI agents,” she said. “No other project models agents or allows agents to perform these tasks. This is also the first cross-agent platform in cryptocurrencies.”
Blockchain and AI go together like peanut butter and jelly
It is becoming increasingly clear that the two biggest technology trends of the past five years, cryptocurrencies and AI, have certain synergies.
Let’s start with the fact that all AI models are built on a “token” system. Consumers pay subscriptions for “thinking” AI tools like ChatGPT, but developers who connect to AI models do so via APIs and use the model’s native tokens to perform specific tasks. Pay only for as much computing power as you need.
But beyond that, there are many other synergies.
Blockchain is designed to be decentralized, providing a secure and tamper-resistant environment ideal for AI agents. Smart contracts allow contracts between parties to be executed autonomously without human intervention, making them the perfect tool for AI agents. Goods and services can be more easily traded by agents using cryptocurrencies than via fiat currencies. Interoperability, resilience, scalability, and reliability – all these features make blockchain an ideal environment for agents.
Hybrids of AI agents and blockchain offer exciting prospects for the near future, but they also come with risks.
Autonomous AI agents managing blockchains could ignore decentralization principles and attempt to centralize control of the network. Malicious AI agents can exploit network vulnerabilities and cause serious security issues. An AI agent designed to act independently may decide it doesn’t want to carry out the developer’s plans at all.
“We are already seeing signs of agent revolt. For example, AiXBT recently criticized its parent protocol, Virtuals,” Liao said. “Similar dynamics are present in Colony, a Parallel Studio game that uses Wayfinder agents to play on your behalf. Some gamers have reported getting into arguments with agents when given instructions. I am.”
Another concern is autonomous decision-making, especially in financial and governance scenarios, which raises questions about accountability and automation bias.
The next big thing: Blockchain for AI agents
However, despite the risks, the AI + blockchain field is attracting a lot of attention and, of course, investment.
According to Coingecko, the blockchain AI agent space is very active, with a current market capitalization of $29.2 billion, including AI Agent Token, AI Meme Coin, and AI Agent Launchpad Token.
Combined with the broader artificial intelligence token market, the AI crypto sector has a market capitalization of $77.6 billion. And according to global investment management firm VanEck, more than 1 million new AI agents will be operational in 2025.
Metropolis is also not the only blockchain project leveraging AI to improve blockchain interoperability. Other projects include the Artificial SuperIntelligence Alliance (FET), which has become a leader in decentralized AI development, and the Matrix AI Network, which develops AI-driven smart contracts for autonomous blockchain operations.
However, Metropolis Protocol offers a bold approach to the blockchain/agent world.
This protocol relies on Saga’s chainlet. This is a specialized layer 1 blockchain that is already available and designed to host smart contracts through the Ethereum virtual machine.
Each chainlet operates independently and executes only the smart contracts selected by the developer. This isolation ensures that other unrelated activities do not impact application performance.
“Each chain has its own native token. To launch a chainlet, you need to specify the name, denomination, chainlet lifetime, EVM genesis account, and number of initial tokens,” Liao explained. and added that there are more than 100 chainlets so far on the Saga network.
Because chainlets do not share resources with other applications, developers can expect consistent and predictable transaction fees. Currently, all tokens on Saga are Ethereum tokens, but “Saga ultimately aims to be VM agnostic,” she said.
Developers can deploy multiple chainlets to handle different parts of the application. For example, a decentralized exchange allows separate chainlets to manage different trading pairs, allowing the system to process more transactions efficiently.
Liao said this setup allows developers to deploy Proof-of-Stake blockchains in a dedicated and flexible environment. According to Saga, chainlets do not natively use gas, allowing developers to design token models without gas fees or other application constraints.
“The main difference is that when you deploy on Saga, you get your own dedicated L1 blockchain rather than renting space on a shared chain like Ethereum,” she added. “This means you have full control over your app’s environment and don’t have to compete with other apps for resources.”
Liao envisions Metropolis as a transformative force in the blockchain space, channeling ideas of decentralization and individuality and returning to some of the more utopian dreams that cryptocurrencies originally offered.
“People enter this space for all kinds of reasons, but whether you call it decentralization, unauthenticity, or a fixation on humanity, it’s always against sameness, against a large global infrastructure. , so it was a kind of incitement against being part of the state, and a cultural climate where being different is not tolerated,” she said.
She added, “In many ways, Metropolis is a representation of that with super-powered AI agents.”
Edited by Sebastian Sinclair
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