AI Agents Predicted to Overtake Human Relevance by 2035

Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano's Input Output, made a bold prediction at the Consensus 2026 conference in Miami. By 2035, he believes AI agents will become more relevant than humans on the internet, disrupting the core business models of Google, Amazon, and Facebook.

Hoskinson explained that AI agents do not click ads or have brand preferences, which threatens the advertising-driven models of platforms like Google, Amazon, and Facebook. He cited the example of Coinbase's x402 protocol, which enables AI agents to make direct payments over the internet using stablecoins and crypto rails.

The Cardano founder also highlighted the benefits of AI agents in simplifying user experience for cryptocurrencies. However, he warned users against relying on intermediaries and emphasized the importance of maintaining direct control over their assets, identity, and data.