News 
December 31, 2024 
3 min. 
The emergence of AI agents is drawing comparisons to the industrial revolution and the early days of corporations in the 19th century. Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley recently highlighted this similarity, suggesting that AI agents could transform industries just as corporations did.
Horsley noted that while corporations were once met with skepticism, they now underpin modern economies by employing millions and producing essential goods. Similarly, AI agents are poised to evolve into critical tools, influencing sectors far beyond their current capabilities.
A Turning Point for AI Adoption in 2025
According to crypto trader Alex Becker, 2025 could mark a major milestone for AI agents. With adoption increasing across industries, these digital entities are already making waves in areas like Web3 development and blockchain innovation.
Bitwise Head of Research, Matt Hougan, also weighed in on the potential of AI agents, particularly within the crypto sector. Hougan described their possibilities as “limitless,” pointing to platforms like ai16z, which is reportedly planning to launch a layer-1 blockchain network. This strategic move highlights the role AI agents could play in reshaping tokenomics and blockchain infrastructure.
AI and Bitwise Agents in Gaming and Beyond
The influence of AI agents is not confined to finance. According to Blockworks researcher Dan Smith, AI tokens on the Virtuals Protocol now account for a significant share of decentralized exchange trading volume on the Base network. This surge points to the growing role of AI in gaming and entertainment, where agents are becoming integral to user engagement and content creation.
Despite these advancements, Real Vision co-founder Raoul Pal warns that today’s AI agents only scratch the surface of what’s possible. He suggests that future iterations will be far more advanced, opening doors to applications that are difficult to imagine today.
The parallels between the rise of corporations and the emergence of AI agents highlight the potential for these technologies to reshape industries, economies, and daily life. As adoption accelerates, the world may be witnessing the dawn of a transformative era.
