AI agents will have growing pains before innovation can start
Initial coin offerings (ICOs) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) faced reputational damage due to overhyped markets in 2017 and 2021, respectively. By 2025, AI agents are emerging as the next technology likely to suffer from similar overexposure and scams. AI agents have potential in decentralized finance (DeFi) for automating trading, optimizing liquidity management, and assisting with onboarding processes. Companies like Microsoft are developing personal AI agents for business tasks. However, the influx of AI agent projects will complicate the market, making it difficult for investors to distinguish legitimate innovations from scams. While the initial phase may lead to disillusionment, the technology is expected to mature over time, similar to the trajectories of ICOs and NFTs. AI agents may eventually reshape industries, provided their development is managed effectively.
