AI's Impact on Cryptocurrency: A Debate at NEARCON 2026

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the cryptocurrency space has sparked debate among industry experts. At the recent NEARCON 2026 conference in San Francisco, two prominent figures weighed in on whether AI would require blockchain to function effectively.

Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley argued that public blockchains will be the primary beneficiaries of AI's rapid development. He pointed out that AI agents are capable of completing tasks and making purchases on behalf of users, and that these agents would need a secure and decentralized funding mechanism – one that stablecoins could provide.

However, Haun Ventures' Diogo Monica challenged Horsley's view, suggesting that superintelligent AI agents might be able to figure out existing payment systems without needing new infrastructure. Monica noted that if AI is truly going to be capable of solving complex problems, it should also be able to navigate traditional financial systems.

Despite their disagreement on the specifics, both Horsley and Monica acknowledged a deeper connection between AI and crypto – one that goes beyond mere speculation about future technological advancements. They agree that AI creates digital abundance while crypto creates digital scarcity, making them complementary technologies with unique strengths and weaknesses.