The digital landscape is undergoing a seismic shift as Artificial Intelligence evolves from simple conversational chatbots into autonomous "Agents." In a recent deep-dive discussion involving Eddy Lazzarin (CTO of a16z Crypto), Noah Levine (Investment Partner), and Sam Ragsdale (Founder of Agent Cash), the experts analyzed how this evolution is systematically dismantling the 20-year-old economic contract of the internet. The core takeaway is clear: the era of attention-based monetization is dying, and a new "Agentic Economy" powered by instant, low-fee blockchain transactions is taking its place.
According to the experts, an "Agent" is effectively a chatbot that has learned to operate a computer independently. Unlike traditional LLMs that simply process text, agents can now execute complex, long-running tasks using natural language as their programming interface—a concept termed "Just-in-Time Natural Language Programming." This capability allows non-technical users to generate thousands of lines of code to perform tasks like specialized shopping or data retrieval for a fraction of the cost of a human engineer. Consequently, the "Ad-based" internet model, which relies on diverting human attention, becomes obsolete when the primary "users" are AI agents focused solely on efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
The discussion highlighted the emergence of "Headless Merchants"—businesses that eschew traditional human-centric interfaces (like websites or sales teams) in favor of API endpoints designed for AI consumption. In this world, the legacy credit card system is under threat. While credit cards charge a fixed fee of roughly 30 cents plus a 2-3% margin, Stablecoins offer a superior alternative for the micro-transactions typical of agent activity, with fees as low as 1-2 cents. Stablecoins also solve the "credit risk" problem of agents; since agents lack established credit histories, instant settlement via blockchain ensures that merchants are paid immediately without the risk of chargebacks. As Eddy Lazzarin boldly predicted, the economic contract of advertising will likely disappear entirely within the next decade as agents prioritize direct utility over promotional distractions.
Source : theblockbeats
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