Building the AI Agent Economy w/ David Minarsch & Davide Crapis

Many are calling 2025 the "Year of the AI Agents." And AI Agents are one of the most exciting frontiers of Decentralized AI, or Crypto X AI. These autonomous systems, powered by blockchain and smart contracts, are changing the way we think about digital interactions, finance, and even governance. In this episode of The People’s AI, presented by Vana, we dive deep into the rapidly evolving world of AI agents with two experts who are leading the charge—Davide Crapis, co-founder of PIN AI, and David Minarsch, co-founder of Valory.

We explore the most promising real-world applications of AI agents, from decentralized finance (DeFi) and prediction markets to the rise of social AI agents that interact and transact autonomously. We discuss the potential of user-owned AI, the role of crypto in facilitating agent-driven economies, and how blockchain is becoming an essential infrastructure for these systems.

Some of the key questions tackled:

• What’s the current state of AI agents, and where are they heading?

• How can blockchain provide security, autonomy, and coordination for AI agents?

• Are AI agents becoming employers—hiring humans to execute tasks?

• What are the technical challenges that need to be solved for mass adoption?

• How will AI agents reshape the digital economy, from trading to Web3 social platforms?

We also break down the latest trends emerging from ETH Denver, where AI agent conversations are dominating the Web3 space. From NEAR ambitious “Road to One Trillion Agents” initiative to cutting-edge work in DeFi and autonomous finance, this episode is packed with insights on what’s next in AI and crypto.

About Vana:

Vana's vision is for user-owned AI through user owned-data. Its mission is to be the world's first open protocol for data sovereignty. 

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