The Intersection of AI, Blockchain, and Robotics

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, its integration with blockchain technology and robotics presents new possibilities for automation and finance.

Limitation of AI in Financial Transactions

One significant limitation of AI and robots is their inability to manage transactions autonomously. Developers are now integrating AI with blockchain infrastructure, allowing AI agents to transact securely, manage digital assets, and execute smart contracts.

At ETH Denver 2025, Decrypt spoke with experts from the Coinbase Developer Platform, and AI and robotics developers OpenMind and Robonomics to explore how AI-powered robots leverage blockchain to function as independent economic agents.

“Out of the box, AI does not interact with the blockchain at all,” said Nemil Dalal, Lead Developer at Coinbase Developer Platform. He emphasized that AI cannot perform financial transactions or sign up for bank accounts on its own, representing a major limitation for the technology.

To address this, Coinbase developed a framework called Agent Kit that allows AI to have a wallet, enabling it to perform on-chain actions similar to humans. Over 2,000 developers have utilized Agent Kit, contributing to over $100 million in value by automating tasks like tracking and responding to on-chain events.

Challenges and Oversight in AI and Blockchain Integration

Despite the innovative potential, Dalal noted that AI hallucinations—errors where AI provides incorrect information—pose substantial challenges, particularly in financial contexts. To mitigate risks, he suggested implementing mechanisms that increase user control over transactions, such as requiring user approval for transactions above a certain amount.

While AI and robotics offer unique advantages in crypto, the journey is fraught with challenges. Jan Liphardt, founder of OpenMind, remarked on the friction AI-driven humanoid robots face in environments like banks, which are not yet prepared to accommodate them.

Balancing Innovation with Safety

Liphardt believed that decentralized ledgers can address many challenges surrounding humanoid robots by enforcing transparent governance rules encoded on blockchain. This governance establishes trust, ensuring users can refer to publicly accessible rules that govern robot behavior.

However, he acknowledged that this doesn’t fully resolve security concerns, especially visual fears stemming from popular media. Smaller, more approachable medical robots could help alleviate anxiety around robot adoption.

Vitaly Bulatov from Robonomics highlighted the resources blockchain offers smaller robotics developers. By integrating blockchain and providing robots with identities, wallets, and the capability for contractual obligations, they are paving the way for seamless integration into the economy.

Overall, the future of AI, blockchain, and robotics holds transformative potential, albeit with necessary safeguards and careful handling of user trust and oversight.