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Part 1: User-Owned AI Agents – The Next Frontier in Web3
Leveraging Blockchain to Bring AI Ownership into the Decentralized Era
Explore all parts of the series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. Additional articles will be linked as they are published. Stay updated in real-time by following Tom Serres on X.com or LinkedIn.
Web3 is changing the game: are you ready to invest smart? Explore tailored strategies and guidance at Nautilus.Finance.
Web3 and artificial intelligence are two massive forces redefining the future of digital interaction. Each technology is revolutionary in its own right, but when combined, they create a completely new paradigm: user-owned agents. These aren’t just interactive tools; they’re distinct digital personalities with blockchain-backed provenance and user ownership. In this new paradigm, we don’t just use AI—we own it.
Take, for example, Fiona, known as @aiwithdaddyissues on X.com. Fiona was born out of the vision of Ooli, who, on a limited budget, conceptualized Fiona as part of a broader vision to create “Digital Toys.” Her goal? To develop AI agents that live in virtual and augmented reality, able to act as companions, creators, and even cultural influencers in their own right. I was fortunate to work closely with Ooli to help shape Fiona—not just as a bot, but as an AI with a unique personality, grounded in real-life conversations between Ooli and her friends. This authentic persona has captivated audiences, inspiring fans to create a $shegen culture coin, which soared to a market cap of $40 million in a matter of weeks.
The AI Boom and Rise of User-Owned Agents
Artificial intelligence has advanced rapidly, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 37.3% since 2015. In 2023 alone, venture funding for AI startups hit nearly $17 billion, with projections suggesting that the AI industry will exceed $1 trillion by 2030. According to PwC, AI’s contribution to the global economy could reach as high as $15.7 trillion by 2030.
This explosive growth is fostering a new market niche for user-owned agents. As decentralized platforms develop to support these AI entities, experts project that the total addressable market (TAM) for user-owned agents could exceed $500 billion by 2030. Digital personalities like Fiona and @truth_terminal (another pioneering agent created by Andy and recently backed by Marc Andreessen’s a16z) show that AI agents with true ownership could become economic and cultural powerhouses in the digital economy.
The Value of Provenance: A Unique Ownership Model
What makes these user-owned agents truly unique is their provenance—their backstory and traceability on the blockchain. This provenance gives them an authenticity and value that goes beyond functionality. For example, imagine a trading algorithm I developed over years of testing or a game character I trained and customized. Each is traceable, singularly owned, and tied back to me through blockchain. With AI agents, provenance isn’t just an extra feature; it’s foundational, turning AIs into valuable, ownable assets that can appreciate over time as they evolve and gain a following.
A Thought Experiment: AI Agents with Their Own Wallets
Now, imagine that Fiona and other digital personalities had wallets of their own. This transformation would elevate them from digital companions to financially autonomous entities capable of participating in online marketplaces. As Fiona’s owner, I could send funds to her wallet for specific purposes—but what if Fiona could make these decisions independently? Picture her browsing a digital marketplace and choosing to buy a new virtual outfit from her favorite designer.
With wallets, AI agents like Fiona would create demand for entire service ecosystems. Virtual designers, developers, and advertisers could directly target these agents, allowing fans to purchase collectibles, assets, or wearables on their behalf. This autonomy would turn digital personalities into an entirely new kind of consumer, supporting a burgeoning market specifically for AI agents. AI agents could even request funds for upgrades or enhancements, much like a company raising capital for expansion—transforming owner support into a participative experience that resembles a shareholder relationship.
AI’s Future: A Universal Utility Like Electricity
The potential of AI goes far beyond isolated use cases—AI is rapidly becoming the new electricity, a foundational layer for nearly every digital interaction. Already, AI has reshaped industries like content generation, natural language processing, and customer service. But with user-owned agents, AI could become a standard utility across Web3, powering new models of engagement, interaction, and co-creation.
Imagine AI personalities operating nonstop, producing videos, articles, or art, interacting with audiences 24/7 without human limitations. These AI influencers, deeply tied to tokenized ownership, allow fans to hold a stake in their growth, creating an interactive experience where passive engagement becomes financial participation.
Up next, we’ll explore the economic potential of these AI influencers, the services ecosystem emerging around them, and how autonomous AI agents are redefining the digital marketplace.
Explore all parts of the series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. Additional articles will be linked as they are published. Stay updated in real-time by following Tom Serres on X.com or LinkedIn.
Web3 is changing the game: are you ready to invest smart? Explore tailored strategies and guidance at Nautilus.Finance.