Actually, both Crypto and AI are engaged in the act of "empowering" humans, but the methods and depths of empowerment are entirely different. Think about it:
1) Crypto empowerment emphasizes so-called "decentralized financial sovereignty," allowing people to control their assets and exchange value without relying on traditional centralized institutions like banks. This form of empowerment is "defensive" in nature—meaning it's fine without it, but better with it. This implies that by adhering to decentralized empowerment, the Crypto industry can never be disproven;
2) AI empowerment, on the other hand, focuses on "exponential amplification of productivity," enabling people to accomplish things that were previously impossible. This is why internet giants continue to make expansive capital investments, driving the growth of AI concept stocks. This form of empowerment is "offensive" in nature—meaning the growth of the AI industry already follows a trajectory similar to "Moore's Law," known as the Scaling Law;
This law tells us that AI capability growth is predictable, sustainable, and exponential. We can foresee the computing power arms race, algorithmic revolutions, and the large-scale adoption of Agent applications.
But Crypto is different. The growth logic of Crypto has shifted from regulatory arbitrage by capital to orderly penetration under regulatory approval. Therefore, in terms of "wild" growth, the growth speed of Crypto is indeed perceived as slower than that of AI.
It’s not that Crypto lacks value, but rather that its value realization speed cannot keep up with the pace at which AI is changing the world.
Therefore, Crypto must make a choice: either actively embrace AI and become the value layer infrastructure of the AI Economy, or gradually narrow its expectations and become "casino-ized," turning into a niche speculative financial market completely detached from "value."
Thus, directions like the x402 protocol, AI Agent payments, and on-chain AI economy are some of the narrative directions for Crypto actively embracing AI. Although this process will be slow, when AI generates massive payment demands and automated transaction needs, it will keep up with the scaled growth of the AI industry and subsequently enjoy the dividends of AI industry growth.
The time window is also clear. If 2027 is set as the timeline for the emergence of AGI, Crypto must complete a wave of protocol-layer positioning and layout before then.
Stop obsessing over "Crypto for human" and getting lost in these pirate party philosophies. Clinging to the lifeline of AI industry growth and managing to share a piece of the pie when the AI economy fully explodes would already be considered a success.
