"At NEARCON 2026, Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley discusses AI accelerating blockchain adoption. Horsley sees AI's rapid advancement benefiting public blockchai
**SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AI's Pace Could Propel Blockchain Adoption**
In a recent panel discussion at NEARCON 2026, Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley posited that artificial intelligence (AI) could be the driving force behind widespread adoption of blockchain infrastructure. However, not all crypto executives share this view.
**Horsley's Perspective on AI and Blockchain**
- AI is advancing at an unprecedented pace, according to Horsley, who described it as "an unstoppable freight train."
- The rate of development is such that projections based on previous crypto adoption cycles may already be outdated.
- For Horsley, public blockchains could benefit significantly from AI's rise, with crypto-native tools offering practical advantages for autonomous agents.
- Agents, he argued, would prefer to use stablecoins for funding and confidential transactions due to their decentralized nature and privacy features.
**Monica's Counter Argument**
Diogo Monica, general partner at Haun Ventures and co-founder of Anchorage Digital, challenged the assumption that agentic commerce necessitates new rails.
- Monica suggested that a superintelligent AI might be capable of using existing payment systems, such as credit cards and instant settlement, to conduct transactions.
- He acknowledged a deeper alignment between AI and crypto technologies, stating that AI's digital abundance complements crypto's digital scarcity.
- However, he cautioned that the risks introduced by AI could be mitigated with crypto's privacy and verification tools.
**The Future of Autonomous Commerce**
Whether blockchains will become the default rails for autonomous commerce remains uncertain. However, the debate over crypto's role in this future is intensifying as AI accelerates.
*Additional Reading:*
- NEAR Launches Near.com super app, touting AI capabilities and confidential transactions
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