The Ethereum Foundation has established a new AI-focused research team, spearheaded by research scientist Davide Crapis, to drive the integration of blockchain technology with artificial intelligence (AI).
This pioneering team aims to create a decentralized AI ecosystem on Ethereum, fostering an AI economy and developing a decentralized AI stack for blockchain developers.
According to Crapis, Ethereum enhances AI’s trustworthiness, while AI boosts Ethereum’s utility. Intelligent agents require a neutral platform for value exchange and reputation management, a need Ethereum is uniquely positioned to fulfill, enabling AI to avoid dependence on centralized platforms.
The newly formed decentralized AI (dAI) team is actively recruiting an AI researcher and a project manager to coordinate these cutting-edge efforts.
The team’s work builds upon the initial efforts of ERC-8004, a protocol designed to extend AI agent-to-agent (A2A) interactions by establishing a trust layer for AI agent discovery and interaction.
With Ethereum’s programmable blockchain capabilities, AI agents—autonomous programs executing transactions with minimal human intervention—are increasingly leveraging this technology.
Blockchain analytics firm CryptoQuant reports Ethereum daily smart contract calls recently hit 12 million, underscoring Ethereum’s pivotal role as a programmable settlement layer.
CryptoQuant notes ongoing network growth, with record highs in Ethereum transactions and active addresses, reflecting rising adoption across DeFi, stablecoin transfers, and token activities.
Various Web3 projects are converging blockchain and AI technologies to strengthen decentralization, data immutability, and identity verification functionalities.
- In 2024, Matchain launched its decentralized AI blockchain.
- In early 2025, KiteAI unveiled an AI-driven blockchain within the Avalanche ecosystem.
Experts such as Arunkumar Krishnakumar from Kamino Finance highlight that combining AI agents with blockchain could revolutionize the digital economy significantly.
