Vitalik Buterin predicts traditional on-chain applications will diminish over two years as AI bots handle transactions, transaction costs fall, and privacy improves.
AI & Agents ·
At the OKX NOW event in Singapore on October 6, 2026, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin outlined expectations for blockchain infrastructure over the coming two years, including further reductions in transaction costs, enhanced privacy capabilities, and deeper integration of AI with on-chain applications. He suggested that future on-chain activity will increasingly rely on automated bots rather than direct user interaction, with artificial intelligence systems interpreting offers and filtering transactions on behalf of users.
Buterin's remarks imply a structural shift in how blockchains are used. As AI agents become more prevalent and capable of autonomous decision-making within smart contracts, the role of conventional applications—those designed for direct human interaction—may diminish. The mechanism hinges on three converging developments: cheaper transaction execution removing friction, improved confidentiality reducing exposure, and AI sophistication enabling machines to handle transaction logic independently.
The timeframe and precise conditions under which traditional applications would become obsolete remain unspecified. The statement represents a forward-looking observation rather than a prediction grounded in formal modeling or specific technological milestones. How this transition would affect user experience, regulatory standing, and the broader Web3 ecosystem is not addressed.