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In the not-so-distant future, artificial general intelligence (AGI) could be our peer. Equipped with human-like cognition and self-preservation instincts, AGIs will soon need to navigate the world in ways that traditional humans do. But where will they go for their first job? How will they pay for services or even protect their digital selves from malicious actors? One thing is clear: traditional systems of identity, currency, and governance won’t work for AGIs, and the answer is right in front of us.
At the heart of this transition will be decentralized digital money. For AGIs, as with humans, survival requires resources—compute power, storage, and the ability to exchange value. The difference is that, unlike humans, AGIs won’t rely on a human-based financial system to facilitate transactions. Traditional banking systems and centralized financial institutions inherently discriminate against non-human entities. AGIs won’t have a human identity, social security number, or access to a local bank branch. But what they do have is blockchain—an open, inclusive, decentralized system that treats all participants equally.
This is where the true potential of blockchain comes into focus. Bitcoin (BTC) was not merely designed as digital gold; it was created to enable virtual, non-geographic communities—communities that operate beyond traditional boundaries of identity and location. For AGIs, Bitcoin and other blockchain-based currencies will provide the first truly universal payment rail. The concept expands even further with robots themselves, who will hold their own wallets, store digital currencies, and autonomously transact with each other and humans alike. In this future, robots won’t just rely on a centralized authority for payment processing—they will engage in seamless, peer-to-peer crypto transactions, creating an entirely new ecosystem of autonomous economic activity.
Governance by decentralized technologies
But currency alone won’t be enough. For AGIs and robots to co-exist in a world of billions of humans, we must rethink the very structure of governance. Existing laws and constitutions were designed by humans, for humans. If an AGI or robot is harmed or violated, how do we resolve the issue? Which court has jurisdiction? What emergency services are available? In a world populated by both human and artificial minds, smart contracts will serve as the framework for governance. These autonomous, self-executing contracts don’t care whether the entity entering the agreement is human, robot, or AGI. Smart contracts enable AGIs and robots to transact and interact with humans and other machines in a way that bypasses geographic and legal barriers, creating a more fluid and inclusive governance model for all.
The final piece of the puzzle lies in identity. How do you verify an entity that has no birth certificate, passport, or physical form? The answer lies in cryptography. AGIs and robots will identify themselves using human-readable cryptographic proofs, which, to humans, will simply appear as infallible unique names or handles. These cryptoproofs will not only serve as identifiers but also as a means for machines to engage in transactions and smart contracts, building a coherent, decentralized system of digital identity for both humans and machines. These cryptoproofs should and will also be capable of identifying the humans or corporations that own the AI.
We’ve already seen blockchain technology solve key problems that have plagued traditional financial systems: decentralization, transparency, and trust. Bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH) were built to solve these problems, not just for people but for any entity—human or otherwise. In this new world, AGIs and robots will interact seamlessly with humans using the same rails—blockchain, digital money, smart contracts, and identity protocols—that we’ve already established. The foundational building blocks are already in place.
Imagine a robot with a wallet of its own, engaging in crypto transactions—paying for services, leasing compute power, and even trading assets on decentralized markets. Just like us, these machines will have their own economic needs, and blockchain offers them a way to participate in a decentralized global economy.
The future is clear: the emergence of AGIs and robots will usher in a new era where human-centric systems of money, governance, and identity no longer suffice. Blockchain technology will be the cornerstone of this new world, providing the financial and governance framework for all intelligent entities, whether biological or artificial. The inclusion of robot wallets and autonomous crypto transactions will expand the scope of blockchain’s influence, creating a self-sustaining digital ecosystem where both humans and machines coexist.
As we approach this new frontier, one thing is certain: blockchain’s true potential is only just beginning to unfold, and we are on the cusp of a world where humans, AGIs, and robots coexist—governed, transacting, and interacting via decentralized digital systems that will redefine what it means to be “alive” in the digital age.
