BlackRock, a leading financial institution, has stated that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) is a significant technological shift, and its intersection with digital assets is increasingly important. According to a recent report, AI and digital assets are converging, which may boost demand for digital infrastructure and programmable payments. BlackRock describes AI as "genuine intelligence for machines" and digital assets as "native money for machines."
The report highlights that AI systems are becoming more advanced, capable of planning and executing multiple tasks, and interacting with external tools and infrastructure with limited human intervention. The rise of AI-powered agents and machine-to-machine payments may increase demand for blockchain and other programmable payment infrastructure. Stablecoins, native cryptocurrencies, and other decentralized network-based assets can serve as native payment and settlement tools for machines.
BlackRock notes that current payment card networks and bank clearing systems support a significant amount of automation, but their membership requirements and settlement economics may make them less suitable for low-value, repetitive transactions that require programmable execution. New protocols, such as X402 and ACP, have emerged on blockchain networks, which can be adapted to traditional payment networks, providing a layer for transactions and settlements in AI-driven commerce.
The report also highlights the similarity in data encoding structures between large language models and blockchain technology. Although their functions differ, both divide complex data into smaller units, such as tokens, and convert them into digital representations that can be interpreted and processed by machines. This transformation enables machines to handle real-world inputs directly.
BlackRock believes that computing power, required to train and operate AI systems, is becoming a crucial economic resource, which may open up new and significant uses for digital assets. According to estimates from analysts, the revenue of cloud computing services from major infrastructure providers may exceed $1 trillion annually by 2030.
The increasing ability of AI agents to operate continuously may make standardized computing power a vital use case for digital assets, either in financing computing or settling transactions programmatically. BlackRock concludes that AI may be a structural catalyst for the adoption of digital assets, while digital assets can provide the necessary infrastructure for an AI-driven economy.
The intersection of AI and digital assets has significant implications for the future of finance and commerce. As AI systems become more prevalent, the demand for digital infrastructure and programmable payments is likely to grow. BlackRock's report highlights the potential for digital assets to play a critical role in enabling the widespread adoption of AI.
Key points
- The growth of AI is driving demand for digital assets and programmable payments.
- AI and digital assets are converging, with significant implications for finance and commerce.
- Digital assets may provide the necessary infrastructure for an AI-driven economy.
