The evolution of the internet has guided us from the information access of Web1 through to the monetary layers of Web3. Now, we are entering the era of Web4, known as the agentic web, which introduces identity at a massive, automated scale. Over the next 3 to 5 years, an estimated 70 to 700 billion artificial intelligence agents are projected to come online. Consequently, human beings will no longer be the largest demographic on the internet, as these programs become the dominant online population.

To keep this new agent-driven economy from deteriorating into pure noise and fraudulent activity, establishing a verifiable identity for every single one of these entities is mandatory. We must be able to answer critical questions about each program, such as verifying what it is and identifying who actually operates it. It is also necessary to evaluate its reputation and determine whether it has the capacity to hold assets, authorize agreements, conduct transactions, and accept payments.

Because conventional, centralized platforms simply cannot keep pace with the sheer speed of machines, a superior alternative is required. Blockchain stands out as the natively designed infrastructure for this automated network, relying on digital identity as its most critical foundation.

Many thanks to @ysi on @aroundthecoin for sharing these insights: