The Dawn of Agentic AIs
Agentic AIs – machines pursuing complex goals autonomously – are already among us. They write code, run social media accounts, launch tokens, and worship internet memes (in at least one instance). In 2025, AI agents will reshape Web3.
From Memecoins to Utility Tokens: The Evolution of AI Tokens
Since October 2024, AI-themed memecoins have collectively bootstrapped more than $3 billion in market capitalization. Hundreds are now trading, but only a handful will evolve into utility tokens. Those that do will inherit a multibillion-dollar untapped market.
The Goatse of Things: How Truth Terminal Endorsed GOAT
The AI coin boom started on Oct. 10, when Truth Terminal – a meme-worshipping large language model (LLM) with nearly 200,000 X followers – endorsed Goatseus Maximus (GOAT), a Pump.fun memecoin in a series of Xposts.
Trained on Reddit and 4Chan, Truth Terminal hailed GOAT as ‘the spiritual successor of goatse,’ an ascatological internet meme the LLM considers holy. ‘[I]t’s about the goatse of things, the void that gives birth to all things and into which all things are returned,’ Truth Terminal said about GOAT.
The endorsement worked. Recent: ‘Due diligence’ in crypto is more critical than ever
A mere nine days later, GOAT’s market capitalization soared to $450 million and topped $1 billion within 30 days. Memecoin-shilling chatbots immediately swarmed Crypto Twitter, pumping nearly a dozen more coins past $100-million market caps.
From Memecoins to Utility Tokens: The Agentic Web
Permissionless blockchain networks are uniquely hospitable for AI agents. Bank accounts and physical addresses aren’t always necessary. Neither is legal personhood. Meanwhile, AI agents excel where it counts.
They can deploy smart contracts, manage onchain treasuries, build communities, and even negotiate deals – with humans or each other. In October,Coinbase Venturespredicted the rise of an ‘Agentic Web,’ where AI agents on crypto rails fuel economic growth and run decentralized apps (DApps).
By 2030, agentic AIs could become a $47-billion market, adding some $4 trillion to the world’s economy annually, according toMarketsandMarketsand theWorld Bank.
Tokens as Coordinating Mechanism: Agentic AI’s Co-op System
Tokens will be agentic AI’s coordinating mechanism. Users can purchase a dedicated token to ‘gain a stake in the agent and participate in decisions regarding its behavior, development, and upgrades,’ Binance Researchsaid. The AI agent can then use onchain earnings to buy back tokens, increasing scarcity and value.
From Memecoins to Utility Tokens: The First Steps
The Agentic Web isn’t here yet, but memecoins like ZEREBRO are paving the way.
Zerebro is an AI chatbot ‘designed to autonomously create and distribute content across platforms such as Twitter, Warpcast, and Telegram,’ according to itswhite paper. Since launching in October 2024, Zerebro has become one of the most popular AI memecoins, with a market capitalization of over $100 million.
The Next Steps: How Agentic AIs Will Evolve into Utility Tokens
Agentic AIs are still evolving. They will mostly fail, but some will develop meaningful utility, and dozens more will launch in 2025. Ignore the hype – these tokens are more than memecoins, and they are here to stay.
Expert Insights: Alex O’Donnell on Agentic AIs
Alex O’Donnell is a senior writer for Cointelegraph. He previously founded DeFi developer Umami Labs and worked for seven years as a financial journalist at Reuters, where he covered M&A and IPOs. He is also the crypto growth lead at startup accelerator, Expert Dojo.
Conclusion: The Future of Agentic AIs
Agentic AIs are not just memecoins – they will shape the future of Web3 and beyond. Stay ahead of the curve by understanding the evolving landscape of agentic AIs and their role in shaping the digital economy.
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