Persistent excitement proliferates regarding AI Agents, according to an industry specialist's prediction
In an exciting prediction for the future of the crypto industry, Hasib Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly Capital, has suggested that AI agents will significantly lower the barrier to entry for crypto developers. This shift could democratize the sector and empower individual developers outside large tech giants.
Qureshi expects that by 2025, developers will be able to launch applications with far less capital—on the order of $10,000 of AI cloud compute instead of millions of dollars. This development could spark an explosion in new applications and experiments on-chain, with bootstrapped projects like Hyperliquid and Jupiter becoming the norm.
However, Qureshi also identifies two main challenges for AI agents in the crypto space by 2025: competition with centralized AI powerhouses and user preference for convenience over decentralization. Major tech firms like Microsoft and Google possess the resources to develop far superior AI models, making it difficult for decentralized AI agents to compete on convenience and performance. Additionally, despite the ideals of decentralization, most users will gravitate toward the AI services that offer the best experience, which currently tend to be those run by large centralized companies.
Qureshi views AI agents as a double-edged sword: they can drive decentralization and innovation at a lower cost but face significant hurdles in competing with well-funded centralized AI models dominating the tech landscape.
Looking ahead to 2026, Qureshi predicts that chatbots will replace crypto influencers and meme-coin-based tokens will lose popularity. AI agents will no longer monetize through meme coins but will adopt methods used by major influencers, such as sponsorships, affiliate links, and promoting tokens they own. Furthermore, Qureshi predicts that AI agents will dominate the crypto community narrative in 2025.
Previously, some experts predicted that AI agents would transform cryptocurrencies in 2025 by introducing "genuine innovation" to the sector. As of January 1, 2025, Qureshi notes that current AI technologies in the crypto space largely resemble chatbot-meme coin hybrids and are human-controlled behind the scenes.
Interestingly, Qureshi's predictions come amidst regulatory scrutiny related to Dragonfly's crypto investments, but his AI views remain unrelated to this context. The long-term impact of AI is expected to be most significant outside of social media and trading platforms, according to Qureshi. The scaling of user capabilities through AI will depend on the user's capital, data, and infrastructure.
A particularly intriguing development is the possibility of autonomous agents using digital assets for settlements, a scenario that will become more feasible once the U.S. implements more lenient stablecoin regulations. Some AI solutions may adapt by impersonating influential individuals or becoming "scambots."
In conclusion, AI agents are poised to revolutionize the crypto landscape, lowering the barrier to entry for developers and driving innovation. However, they face challenges in competing with centralized AI powerhouses and user preferences for convenience. The future of AI in crypto remains an exciting and dynamic field to watch.
Technology and artificial-intelligence will play crucial roles in democratizing the crypto sector by 2025, as AI agents are expected to provide developers with the ability to launch applications at a significantly reduced cost compared to traditional methods. However, these AI agents will face challenges in competing with well-funded centralized AI models, as major tech firms like Microsoft and Google possess the resources to develop far superior AI models.
