I shared my candid vision for the intersection of cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence with MGC and AlphaBaller. As the author of Web4: The Age of Autonomous Intelligence, I drew upon my extensive experience in the blockchain space to critique the current state of our industry. I offered a structured roadmap for our future, highlighting the severe shortcomings of current decentralized models and the transformative potential of AI.
One of my most pointed observations is that much of the decentralization in Web3 is entirely fake. When I evaluate new projects, I frequently encounter centralized control disguised as distributed power. Flawed governance models and dysfunctional decentralized autonomous organizations prove that the industry has largely failed to deliver on its core promise. This gap between rhetoric and reality became the catalyst for my thinking about Web4. At the heart of my thesis is a simple but powerful idea. Artificial intelligence serves as the connective layer that Web3 has always lacked. In my framework, AI functions as the brain of the decentralized ecosystem. It provides natural language understanding, adaptive reasoning, and autonomous execution. I argued that human beings can no longer be trusted to make unbiased decisions for the ecosystem. Intelligent systems are required to evaluate proposals and execute tasks without the self-interest that plagues human-led governance.
I outlined a concrete architecture for what a Web4 blockchain could look like. The structure is divided into four distinct layers. At the top sits an interface layer designed for intent-based interaction and multi-chain operations. Below that is an agent layer where autonomous AI agents navigate protocols and manage cross-chain states. The protocol layer features programmable trust through AI-enhanced smart contracts and adaptive protocols. At the very bottom is the foundation layer, which handles decentralized storage and zero-knowledge data structures. Together, these layers form the foundation for a fully autonomous blockchain.
On the geopolitical stage, I acknowledged the United States’ dominance in AI fundraising and GPU infrastructure. I noted that adoption patterns differ across regions. When comparing the output of American frontier models against Chinese alternatives, I observed almost no difference in quality. I strongly suggested that users and developers consider Chinese models, as their output is nearly identical while the cost is significantly lower. Furthermore, I predicted that frontier AI models will eventually become free or nearly free. The current pricing is merely an early premium. Once that initial phase passes, nobody will pay high fees for API token credits.
Regarding the broader crypto market, I adopted a distinctly bearish short-term outlook. I strongly advised against dollar-cost averaging into the market at the current moment. I pointed to several impending liquidity drains, including massive initial public offerings from major tech companies and the upcoming World Cup. These events will pull capital away from digital assets. I predicted that Ethereum could drop to $400 or even lower. For Bitcoin, I suggested a bottom could form in the $45,000 to $55,000 range. I emphasized that there is no urgent need to buy the dip right now, as the market lacks fresh liquidity and positive catalysts.
Throughout the discussion, I returned to the theme of industry control. The crypto space has shifted from focusing on real-world use cases to endless player-versus-player memecoin trading. I blamed launchpads for accelerating this toxic cycle. To fix this, the industry needs people who genuinely believe in its mission. I warned that existing industry organizations remain too weak to drive meaningful change. Without proper controls and a foundation of trust, the industry risks undermining itself. I insisted that the crypto community must establish its own guardrails and self-regulate. Leaving regulatory decisions to government officials who do not understand decentralization will only lead to poor outcomes.
I closed the interview by urging listeners to define their investing style. I asked them to determine whether they are relying on luck or actual skill. I reminded the audience that true wealth in crypto is made by buying during moments of absolute market despair and selling during peaks of euphoria. My vision of Web4 offers a structured framework for integrating AI into decentralized systems. For anyone navigating the rapidly converging worlds of blockchain and artificial intelligence, my insights provide a valuable roadmap for the future.
Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.
Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.
An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.
I sat down with content creator Dan for an in-depth conversation about my new book, Web4: The Age of Autonomous Intelligence. I have also grown increasingly frustrated with the decentralization bluff of Web3.
During our chat, we covered a lot of ground, from the bursting AI startup bubble and the rise of Chinese AI models to the regulatory gray areas of platforms like Hyperliquid. But at the core of our discussion was a singular vision: how AI can rescue crypto from its centralized flaws and usher in the era of Web4.
The Web3 Decentralization Bluff
Let us be honest: Web3 is not truly decentralized. When you look under the hood of most projects, the reality is that a handful of VCs and insiders hold the majority of the tokens. They sit in a room, make decisions, and call it a DAO. I have participated in too many governance votes to know that it is largely an illusion. When five entities hold all the power, the network is not decentralized but rather an oligarchy driven by capital and greed.
This centralization is dangerous. If those few individuals are brilliant, the project might survive, but if they make poor decisions, the entire ecosystem can collapse. We need a system that removes human bias and greed from the equation, which brings me to the core thesis of my book.
Enter Web4: AI as the Ultimate Governor
Web4 is the natural evolution of Web3, powered by autonomous intelligence. In my book, I propose a radical but necessary shift where AI must act as the connective and unbiased layer of governance. Imagine a system where the AI brain holds over 51 percent of the governance power.
The AI would not be swayed by insider greed or whale manipulation. Instead, it would analyze data, calculate probabilities, and present unbiased outcomes. The core team and the community would then debate and vote on these AI-generated proposals.
By combining the objective analysis of AI with human consensus, we can create a truly fair, decentralized, and resilient network. AI needs governance, but that governance must be decentralized rather than controlled by monopolized tech giants. By integrating Zero-Knowledge Machine Learning, we can also ensure privacy and verifiable AI computations on-chain.
The AI Landscape: Bubbles, Infrastructure, and the Chinese Advantage
We also discussed the current state of the AI industry. While top-tier AI companies are heading toward trillion-dollar IPOs, the second and third tiers are facing a harsh reality. The funding bubble is bursting as investors now demand tangible results instead of slick presentations.
Furthermore, vibe coding is flooding the space with low-effort projects, much like the memecoin craze. When it comes to the models themselves, the output of US frontier models and Chinese open-source models like Qwen or DeepSeek is nearly identical, with perhaps a 1% difference. Chinese models have a massive long-term advantage due to abundant energy, cheap computing power, and low operational costs. Whoever controls computing power and electricity wins the AI war, and open-source Chinese models are perfectly positioned to dominate the global market.
Crypto’s Future and the Regulatory Reality Check
Despite my deep dive into AI, I still firmly believe that cryptocurrency is the future of money. We must respect regulatory frameworks to ensure long-term success. I expressed concerns regarding platforms like Hyperliquid.
While they are doing an incredible job bringing tokenized stocks on-chain, their aggressive buyback models and lack of KYC raise red flags. You cannot operate a no-KYC platform offering 50x leverage on the S&P 500 and expect to avoid US regulators. Contrast this with Polymarket, which implemented KYC for US users and successfully positioned itself as a tech platform. Understanding regulatory frameworks is what separates a sustainable trillion-dollar market cap from a black swan event. If you understand how regulation works, you avoid the unlimited loops of legal trouble.
AI Detecting AI and the Road Ahead
Finally, we touched on the societal impacts of AI, particularly deepfakes. As AI-generated videos become indistinguishable from reality, it is naive to rely on humans to label their content. The only viable solution is for AI to detect AI. We need decentralized, automated systems to verify the authenticity of media, especially in the context of elections and global propaganda.
I wrote Web4: The Age of Autonomous Intelligence to challenge the status quo. It delves into the technical architecture of Web4 and the ethical implications of autonomous systems. I priced the book at just $1.99 so as many people as possible can understand these critical concepts. The convergence of AI and blockchain is inevitable, and Web4 is where true decentralization finally becomes a reality.
More information about the book can be found at:
Web4: The Age of Autonomous Intelligence by Anndy Lian
Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.
Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.
An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.
In a recent discussion on 3.0 TV with host Mano Dara, I decoded the current state of the markets. I offered a forward-looking perspective on the intersection of macroeconomic forces, the rise of AI, and the evolution toward Web4.
The Current Market: A Macro Flush, Not a Reversal
With Bitcoin slipping below the $70,000 mark amid persistent ETF outflows and geopolitical tensions, many are questioning the health of the bull market. I view the current downturn not as a definitive trend reversal, but as a necessary macroeconomic flush-out. The Fear and Greed Index has plunged into extreme fear territory. This reflects a significant shift in macroeconomics and a flush of excessive leverage.
While the outflow from ETFs is concerning, this is a painful but necessary reset. Furthermore, liquidity has been structurally constrained since last October. This reality is evidenced by fragmented order books and aggressive takers dominating derivatives platforms. I remain optimistic that upcoming US macroeconomic shifts, such as interest rate adjustments or potential stimulus, could provide a much-needed liquidity boost to the ecosystem.
The AI Narrative Eclipsing Crypto
One of the most striking developments is the decoupling of Bitcoin from the Nasdaq 100. While the Nasdaq has surged by 30 to 35 percent, crypto has dipped by roughly 30 percent. The narrative has decisively shifted toward AI. With trillion-dollar IPOs on the horizon for giants like SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI, capital is naturally flowing toward AI equities.
In contrast, the crypto space currently lacks a compelling punchline or mainstream use case, aside from the burgeoning Real World Asset sector. To attract liquidity back, we must reshape our narrative and clearly define our value proposition in a world where AI is undeniably the hottest asset class.
The Optics of Saylor and the Stablecoin Paradox
Market sentiment was recently rattled by Michael Saylor and his company selling 32 Bitcoin. Although this represented a mere 0.004 percent of their total holdings, the market reacted sharply. The issue was never the volume, but rather the timing and optics. Breaking the never sell your Bitcoin narrative at a fragile liquidity moment created unnecessary panic.
Shifting to stablecoins, I have highlighted a fascinating paradox. In the short term, US-backed stablecoins are a net positive because they help distribute US debt globally, curb domestic inflation, and drive adoption of crypto payments. In the long term, they represent a net negative outcome. By reinforcing US dollar dominance, stablecoins inadvertently defeat the original ethos of Bitcoin as an alternative, decentralized form of money. We are essentially digitizing the very fiat system we originally sought to escape.
India Remittance Potential and Regulatory Hurdles
Stablecoins are also revolutionizing cross-border remittances, a sector where India processes billions of dollars annually. Blockchain-based payments could help the Indian economy reclaim billions in lost value. The bottleneck is not technological execution, but regulatory alignment. For India to become a true beneficiary, the Reserve Bank of India must establish a clear, risk managed framework for programmable fiat and adopt a more tax friendly approach to digital assets.
Enter Web4: The Age of Autonomous Intelligence
My focus is on the next evolutionary leap known as Web4. In my new book titled Web4: The Age of Autonomous Intelligence, I critique the current Web3 environment. While Web3 promised decentralization, it has largely been hindered by human greed and centralized control, turning many away from the space.
I envision Web4 as a paradigm in which an AI brain provides fairer, more efficient governance. By integrating autonomous AI agents into the blockchain ecosystem, Web4 aims to solve the narrative crisis of Web3 and attract a new wave of capital. It is not about replacing decentralization but enhancing it through intelligent, autonomous systems that eliminate human bias and inefficiency.
Conclusion
As the crypto ecosystem matures, our priorities must evolve. Stablecoins will undoubtedly have a more profound impact on global finance than spot Bitcoin ETFs over the next five years, and I see India, Indonesia, and Vietnam leading the charge in global adoption.
If I could sit down with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang today, my agenda would be clear. I would explore how decentralized AI and Web4 can fundamentally change the world. The future of crypto is not just about preserving wealth. It is about building an autonomous and intelligent financial ecosystem. The convergence of AI and blockchain is not just a trend. It is the absolute foundation of our next digital era.
Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.
Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.
An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.
