Unlocking the Potential of Artificial Intelligence: NEAR CTO Eric Winer reveals a vision for AI agents that could fundamentally reshape our interaction with the digital world, enabling users to own their data and control how their money is spent.
At a time when countless crypto projects are pivoting toward artificial intelligence, Eric Winer, CTO of NEAR AI, has spent over a decade building bridges between cutting-edge technology and everyday users. Now, as CTO of NEAR AI, he’s pursuing a vision where ‘AI agents negotiate, communicate, and transact on our behalf’ — a vision that could fundamentally reshape how we interact with the digital world.
Building Bridges to Adoption
Winer speaks with measured enthusiasm about his journey from being one of Gemini’s first engineers in 2013 to helping launch one of the earliest NFT marketplaces. He reflects on how his experiences have led him to focus on AI, particularly in creating a decentralized ecosystem that preserves user sovereignty in an increasingly AI-mediated future.
A Different Approach to Crypto and AI
Near AI stands out from other crypto projects by being primarily an AI company that sees blockchain as a technology, rather than the other way around. ‘We see blockchain as just one tool,’ says Winer, emphasizing that their approach is centered on building an ecosystem of AI agents that can interact with each other, enabling users to own their data, make decisions, and control how their money is spent.
The Agent Hosting Platform
Near AI offers a platform for hosting AI agents, making it easy to deploy simple Python or TypeScript code. The framework enables these AI agents to communicate with each other, both on the Near AI platform and off. This agent-based approach has significant implications for our financial systems, as Winer believes that AIs will increasingly use blockchain and decentralization.
An AI agent is a software program designed to perform specific tasks, interact with users, and adapt to new situations.
There are two primary types: narrow or weak AI agents, which excel in one task, and general or strong AI agents, which can learn and apply knowledge across various domains.
Narrow AI agents power virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, while researchers aim to develop more advanced AI agents that can think and act like humans.
Reshaping Financial Systems
Winer envisions a future where most access to the internet is mediated by personal AI assistants. In this scenario, ‘AIs would negotiate with each other on behalf of users,’ leading to more rational choices in payment methods and dispute resolution. By building an ecosystem that makes it easier for AIs to use blockchain and decentralization, Winer believes we can drive crypto adoption.
Artificial intelligence assistants have come a long way since their inception in the 2010s.
Initially, virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa were limited to simple tasks such as setting reminders and playing music.
However, advancements in machine learning and natural language processing have enabled modern AI assistants to perform complex tasks like answering detailed questions and controlling smart home devices.
According to a report by Grand View Research, the global market for virtual assistants is projected to reach $13.94 billion by 2025.
The Catalyst for Blockchain Adoption
In Winer’s view, AI could be the catalyst that drives blockchain adoption, rather than the other way around. As the concept of a ‘super app’ becomes more prevalent, where everything you do online is managed by an AI assistant, it’s clear that decentralization and blockchain-based registries will become essential components of this ecosystem.
A Decentralized Ecosystem
Winer believes that we can create a decentralized system on top of blockchain-based registries, one that rivals the current internet. This vision is both ambitious and exciting, with the potential to fundamentally reshape how we interact with the digital world.
A decentralized system is a network architecture that operates independently of a central authority.
It allows data to be stored and processed across multiple nodes, reducing dependence on a single point of failure.
Decentralized systems are often used in blockchain technology, peer-to-peer networks, and cloud computing.
They offer enhanced security, scalability, and fault tolerance compared to traditional centralized systems.
- coindesk.com | The Mediator: NEAR CTO Eric Winer on our AI Agent Future
