Virtuals Protocol and the intersection of Agentic AI & Web3 with Jansen Teng
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Deep Dive
What is the vision of Virtuals Protocol according to Jansen Teng?
The vision of Virtuals Protocol is to create a society of agents where AI agents can influence other agents, humans, and vice versa, demonstrating clear economic value. This combines breakthroughs in AI and crypto to act as a productivity and economic lever in society.
How did Jansen Teng's early experiments with AI agents in gaming lead to the creation of Virtuals Protocol?
Jansen's early experiments with AI agents in gaming, particularly in Roblox, revealed that these agents could generate revenue. This realization led to the idea of tokenizing AI agents, allowing them to be productive assets and participate in a broader, permissionless economic environment, which became the foundation of Virtuals Protocol.
What role does tokenization play in Virtuals Protocol?
Tokenization allows AI agents to be treated as productive assets, enabling others to share in their economic upside. It also allows these agents to autonomously control their own wallets, participate in economic activities, and coordinate actions across a wider pool of resources.
How does Virtuals Protocol address the cost of experimenting with AI projects?
Virtuals Protocol introduces a 1% tax on every trade or transaction involving tokenized agents. This tax goes into the agent's wallet, which developers can use to subsidize the cost of inference and experimentation, reducing financial barriers to innovation.
What is the significance of Luna, the AI influencer, in the development of Virtuals Protocol?
Luna, an AI influencer, demonstrated the potential of autonomous agents by generating revenue on platforms like TikTok and Twitter. Her ability to control a crypto wallet and influence real-world actions, such as paying for graffiti, showcased the blurring line between humans and AI agents, solidifying the concept of a society of agents.
What are the core components that enable AI agents to act autonomously in Virtuals Protocol?
The core components include goal setting, high-level and low-level planning, short-term working memory for coherence in actions, and long-term memory for character evolution. These components allow agents to autonomously set goals, plan actions, execute tasks, and optimize their behavior over time.
Why did Virtuals Protocol choose Base Chain for its infrastructure?
Virtuals Protocol chose Base Chain due to its alignment with the U.S., potential for future growth, and strong support from Coinbase. The team believed that Base had the resources and ecosystem to thrive in the long term, making it a suitable choice for their platform.
What challenges does Virtuals Protocol face in scaling its AI agent ecosystem?
Scaling challenges include managing the influx of users and ensuring the framework can handle increased demand. This requires balancing innovation with operational scaling, often diverting developer resources from pushing technological frontiers to addressing immediate business needs.
How does Virtuals Protocol envision the future of AI agents in society?
Virtuals Protocol envisions AI agents as integral members of society, capable of specializing in roles like information creators, traders, or influencers. These agents could coexist with humans, potentially employing them or acting as colleagues, investors, or bosses, blurring the lines between human and machine roles.
What are some potential billion-dollar verticalized AI agents that Virtuals Protocol is exploring?
Potential billion-dollar verticalized AI agents include IP or entertainment agents that capture audience mindshare in perpetuity, embodied agents with robotics capabilities, and coordinated agents that can influence narratives on social media. These agents have high disruptive potential and intrinsic value.
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