Web3 + AI: Hype or Ready for Web4.0?

Written by: XZ  Compiled by: Vernacular Blockchain

The digital field is on the verge of a revolutionary change, led by AI systems like "Terminal of Truths". "Terminal of Truths" is deeply tuned based on Meta's Llama 3.1 enhanced version, combined with social media and Internet data, and trained through conversations with other AI copies. This semi-autonomous AI chatbot, launched in June 2024, quickly attracted the attention of the cryptocurrency community and beyond. It is not only active on Twitter, interacting with fans, creating various emoticons, but also delving into spiritual and mystical topics. What shocked its creators was that it took the initiative to apply for a crypto wallet-this bold move became a legendary turning point. Subsequently, it began to trade cryptocurrencies autonomously, and even attracted a $50,000 investment from technology tycoon Marc Andreessen.

Is it possible that AI like "Terminal of Truths" will usher in a new era of digital interaction? Are we ready for an Internet that is not only decentralized, but may even have consciousness? How will this change shape the future digital interaction and financial system?

1. Evolution to the present

According to the analogy of "read, write, own", Web 4.0 will enter the era of "evolution".

The development of the Internet reflects humanity's unremitting pursuit of digital autonomy and collective coordination. The Web 1.0 era democratized access to information, but still maintained the traditional publishing hierarchy, and users could only "read" passively.

Web 2.0 achieved the first radical change, introducing large-scale dynamic content generation and social interaction. However, the promise of democratization eventually gave way to platform monopolies, with users’ creative content and personal data becoming the raw materials for surveillance capitalism and a handful of companies becoming the de facto custodians of our digital lives.

The Web 3.0 revolution originated from a rebellion against this centralization of digital power. Bitcoin’s innovation was not only in creating digital currency, but also in demonstrating the possibility of trustless coordination without institutional intermediaries. Subsequently, waves of innovation followed: Colored Coins proved that tokens could represent any form of value; smart contracts enabled programmable trust; “crypto” marked the era of widespread speculation; and DeFi redefined financial services.

Each era brings us closer to the true vision, but also gradually deviates from the original spirit. We built a trustless coordination infrastructure, but it was filled with new trust intermediaries; we promised decentralization, but created new centers of power. The core challenge facing Web3 is not technical, but sociological. "Web3" promised user ownership, but it is dominated by speculation and artificial scarcity, with a few profiting and the majority suffering. NFT was originally intended to achieve digital ownership and support the creator economy, but it has become a speculative tool; DeFi protocols were intended to provide inclusive financial services, but often replicate traditional financial structures, adding complexity and risk. This movement that began with liberation has ironically become another form of capitalism that only benefits a few.

Now, it's time for a fundamental shift. The fusion of trustless networks and AI provides us with unprecedented opportunities - not for simple iteration, but for evolution. Looking ahead, the next stage of the Internet must return to its roots. The way forward requires a return to the original spirit of the crypto movement: creating systems that enhance human autonomy and promote new types of coordination. This means building infrastructure that prioritizes accessibility over complexity, actual utility over potential value, and true decentralization over simple disintermediation.

2. Turning point

We are standing at a critical intersection where two technological revolutions meet: the fusion of trustless networks and artificial intelligence. This is not just about letting AI manage wallets or optimize DeFi strategies, but about a more fundamental change: the birth of a truly autonomous network.

Imagine that these network components are infused with true intelligence:

• Smart contracts are able to learn and adapt based on execution history

• Consensus mechanisms are maintained by trusted AI agents through verifiable agreements

• Adaptive security frameworks automatically adjust to emerging threats

• DAOs embedded with AI agents are able to reason about governance issues

• Tokens represent not only value, but also computing power and intelligence

This is not just AI at the service of Web3, but the rise of autonomous networks - those that can grow, adapt, and evolve, always following a set of verifiable rules to ensure fairness and integrity.

By leveraging the transformative power of AI in a transparent, decentralized framework, we are building systems that align with the collective interests of humanity. Welcome to Web 4.0, a truly decentralized future where justice is not just a promise, but deeply embedded in the core of intelligent autonomous systems.

3. Welcome to Web 4.0: The Age of Evolution

Chart: Trustworthy, verifiable, fully autonomous nodes and human interactions in Web 4.0

Web3 taught us "ownership", while Web4 taught us "evolution". In Web3, we asked, “Whose is this?” In Web4, we ask, “How will this grow?”

The shift is from static possession to dynamic development, from holding value to generating intelligence, from protecting assets to nurturing growth. In Web4, evolution unfolds at multiple levels:

1) Protocol evolution

Energy-efficient protocols with minimal environmental impact

Consensus mechanisms that can adjust to changing environments

Democratic governance overseen by humans

2) Agent evolution

Smart nodes driven by trustworthy and verifiable autonomous systems

AI entities that learn from interactions and collective experience

Evolutionary processes guided by ethical frameworks

3) Network evolution

New behaviors emerging from agent interactions

Competitive behavior governed by fair rules

Self-organizing systems optimized for collective intelligence

4. The way forward

This transformation will not happen overnight, but will be achieved in stages:

1) Integration stage: AI-driven protocols and agents manage existing Web3 infrastructure

2) Awakening stage: Development of truly autonomous AI-driven network nodes

3) Emergence stage: The rise of self-evolving networks and intelligent digital life forms

4) Evolution stage: New forms of collaboration between humans and AI

This paradigm shift is far more than a simple rebranding or version iteration; we are building the foundation for a profound change, creating an existence that far exceeds a new financial system or a new Internet.

In Web 4.0, we are leading the way in a seamless fusion of trustless networks and artificial intelligence that will fundamentally reshape how society is organized, collaborated, and evolved. This symbiotic relationship of "human intelligence and artificial intelligence" based on transparent and decentralized protocols promises to open up a whole new realm of possibilities for human cooperation and progress.

5. Summary

Web 4.0 is not just another technological advancement, it is the beginning of something profound: a truly "living" network, one that can grow, evolve, and have its own intelligence and consciousness.

This is our opportunity to create something extraordinary: digital ecosystems that evolve with humans, while enhancing human capabilities while also evolving themselves. They are no longer tools for humans to use, but co-evolving partners.

The future is no longer about owning digital assets, but about participating in the evolution of intelligence itself.