However, the rise of AI agents has also raised deeper questions about their autonomy.
While these systems possess advanced capabilities, they still operate within a framework designed by humans, raising concerns about objectivity and manipulation. Nevertheless, their practical applications and innovations firmly establish them as the foundation for the next technological wave.
Four Pillars of AI Agent Success
1. Team
The core of any AI agent project is its development team, whose contribution accounts for 70% of the project's success. A team with AI expertise and a track record of success is indispensable.
Success criteria:
· Strong academic or professional background in AI.
· Measurable outcomes experience in crypto or AI projects.
· Active online presence and community engagement.
Example: Anand Iyer of sekoia virtuals
· Education: Computer Engineering degree from Purdue University.
· Experience: Held leadership roles at Cisco and Microsoft, founded successful startups, and was an early investor in renowned AI projects like Virtuals Protocol and Gensyn. Teams like Sekoia, led by Iyer, demonstrate the combination of expertise and vision required to successfully guide AI agent projects.
2. Product
The product is the core of any AI agent project. Success depends on providing innovative, practical solutions that address real-world needs.
Key questions:
· How does the AI agent work, and what industry does it target?
· Does the product solve actual problems, or is it just making overambitious promises?
· What differentiates the product from competitors?
Key metrics:
· Total and active user count.
· User growth rate.
· Total Value Locked (TVL).
· Third-party integrations and partnerships.
3. Growth Catalysts
AI agent projects rely on unique growth drivers:
· virtuals io: Combining pioneering economic models and supply-demand dynamics to drive VIRTUAL token growth.
· ai16zdao: Leveraging the association with a16z to create a strong sense of community engagement.
· sekoia virtuals: Differentiating from competitors through innovative products and limited results, sparking market anticipation.
The Virtuals Protocol ecosystem aligns its growth with token demand, echoing the success of Curve Finance's veToken model.
By tightly integrating economic incentives, Virtuals has created a sustainable growth engine.
4. Community
A vibrant, actively engaged community is crucial to the success of AI agents. As end-user-facing products, AI agents rely on early adopters to generate momentum.
Key questions:
· Are community members actively engaged on platforms like Discord and Telegram?
· Do they provide feedback, share experiences, and support project development?
The community not only kickstarts the adoption process but also serves as an economic flywheel, ensuring continuous growth and long-term success.
Efficient Economic Models in AI Agents
AI agent projects excel at creating sustainable economic models by addressing challenges such as FDV (Fully Diluted Valuation) and token economics. By quickly generating revenue as end-user products, they lay a solid foundation for long-term growth.
Examples like Vader AI and virtuals io demonstrate these principles:
· Vader AI: Dual DAO system: Passive DAO (0.5% fee) and Active DAO (20% performance fee).
· Staking: Locking 51% of the VADER supply, reducing circulation and increasing value.
· Vaults: AI-managed profit optimization, with fees burned to maintain token scarcity.
· DAO Demand: Managers must stake VADER and hold assets, driving sustained token demand.
Virtuals Protocol: Governance and Revenue Sharing
Token holders vote on the AI agent's strategies, while the agent's revenues (from advertising, interactions, content, etc.) are used to buy back and burn tokens, increasing their value.
Developer and user requirements: Developers and users must hold VIRTUAL tokens, enhancing their utility and demand.
Locked Liquidity: 10-year liquidity lockup effectively removes tokens from circulation.
These models demonstrate how AI agents can combine blockchain and artificial intelligence to create closed-loop economic systems, enhancing sustainability, transparency, and long-term value.
The Ecosystem is Embracing AI Agents
Base is the first ecosystem to actively drive the AI agent trend, launching the Virtuals Protocol and kickstarting the emergence of numerous AI agent projects with diverse objectives, signaling a potentially transformative trend in the crypto market.
As with any significant trend, other ecosystems have quickly adapted or proactively positioned themselves to capture this momentum. Notable examples include:
· modenetwork: Pivoting to focus on AI agents, becoming the first Layer 2 network dedicated to this niche.
· Solana: Launching the Solana Agent Kit to help developers easily build AI agent applications. Its Solana AI Hackathon attracted nearly 500 projects.
· opentensor: Witnessing rapid growth in the number and quality of AI agent-focused subnetworks.
Among these ecosystems, Solana stands out as a trailblazer. Previously, Solana had led the waves of DeFi, GameFi, NFTs, and even Memes, with platforms like Pump.fun as representatives.
Now, with tools like the Solana Agent Kit and Solana AI Hackathon, Solana is strategically positioning itself to lead the next wave of AI agent adoption.
Why Solana is Leading the Charge
Solana has established itself as the blockchain of choice for AI agents, thanks to its unparalleled performance and dynamic ecosystem.
· Speed and Cost: Solana boasts 65,000 transactions per second (TPS) and $0.00025 transaction fees, ensuring real-time and cost-effective operations.
· Ecosystem: Tools like the Solana Agent Kit and the success of the Solana AI Hackathon demonstrate its commitment to fostering innovation.·Decentralized Infrastructure: Solana's dePIN ecosystem goes beyond Ethereum, providing a solid foundation for AI-driven applications.
·Collaboration and Growth: Solana's hackathon activities have attracted nearly 500 projects, with 65 of them utilizing Agent Kit - demonstrating Solana's thriving developer community.

Must-Follow Accounts to Get the Latest Updates on AI Agents
Defi0xJeff: Provides insightful articles on emerging trends.

S4mmyEth: Daily AI agent reviews.

tombheads: AI agent Alpha explorer.

SmallCapScience: Early discovery of $aixbt.

CryptoStreamHub: Provides regular Alpha updates daily.

zacxbt: AI and DeSci Alpha explorer.

Personal Perspective
AI agents are redefining the intersection of Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence, with 2025 seen as a pivotal year for their growth. Blockchains like Solana, with unparalleled performance and a thriving ecosystem, are at the forefront of this trend. While challenges remain, the foundations laid today will drive the mainstream adoption of AI agents, becoming a force of transformation across various industries.




