Lately, I've been seeing a lot of comments saying that AI is going to kill the crypto industry. Honestly, I’ve been wondering about that too. Especially now, it feels like every day the news about AI is dominating the media, while crypto seems to be getting quieter compared to a few years back.

But after joining various discussions and observing the developments, I’ve started to see a different connection. AI might not destroy crypto. In fact, there’s a chance that AI could be one of the technologies that strengthens the crypto ecosystem.

One of the biggest concerns comes from the DeFi world. As AI gets more sophisticated, its ability to read millions of lines of code and find security gaps that human auditors might miss increases. Imagine if one day an AI can find critical bugs in minutes, while a development team takes days or even weeks to uncover them. Risks like this are indeed real.

However, on the flip side, the same logic could also be an advantage. If AI can find security gaps, then AI can also be used to hunt down and fix bugs before they can be exploited by bad actors. Some projects have even started training AI specifically to scan smart contracts 24/7, then send priority reports to human engineers for immediate fixes. In such scenarios, AI is not the enemy of crypto, but rather an additional layer of security.

What interests me more isn't so much AI versus crypto, but rather the current market conditions. It feels like it's been ages since I've seen significant enthusiasm from retail investors. My social media timeline, which used to be filled with discussions about Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, or altcoins, is now largely focused on AI, tech stocks, or other topics outside of crypto.

There was even an incident that I found quite unique. When the SUI network experienced disruptions and downtime repeatedly, the market's response was relatively calm. If something like that had happened to Solana a few years ago, social media would have likely been flooded with criticism and memes for weeks. Now? Hardly anyone cares. From this, I began to feel that the market is indeed in a phase of apathy.

Ironically, phases like this often become intriguing periods to observe. In previous crypto cycles, the best opportunities often arise when the majority lose interest. When everyone is optimistic, prices usually skyrocket. Conversely, when the market feels dull and no one is talking about it, accumulation is often happening behind the scenes.

In the midst of these conditions, there are several narratives that continue to evolve. The AI sector has become one of the hottest topics this year. Projects like TAO and VXV are in the spotlight for attempting to merge blockchain technology with the needs of AI computing and data. Meanwhile, the RWA sector is also advancing by bringing real-world assets onto the blockchain, from bonds to stocks that were previously hard to access globally.

That said, I personally still see Layer 1 as the most interesting sector for the long term. Ethereum, Solana, and a few new players remain the foundation upon which various crypto applications are built. Narratives may change each year, but infrastructure usually lasts longer than the trends that come and go.

Another thing I’m noticing more frequently is tokenomics. I used to just look at market cap and assume a project was cheap. Now I always check FDV as well. Many projects appear small because the circulating supply is still low, but behind the scenes, there are billions of tokens yet to be released to the market. When those tokens start to unlock, selling pressure can be significant even if the project looks promising.

Because of that, the longer I stay in this market, the more I believe that crypto investing isn't just about picking the right coins. We also need to understand the developing narratives, market psychology, liquidity direction, and the token structure of what we buy.

And to be honest, when everyone starts forgetting about crypto and gets busy chasing other trends, I start to wonder if this is becoming a period that we’ll later remember as a missed opportunity.

What do you guys think, will AI be a competitor to crypto or will it be the next growth catalyst?