In a groundbreaking initiative that aims to disrupt the dominance of Big Tech in the realm of artificial intelligence, the AI agent protocol Thinkagents.ai has introduced a new open-source framework designed for creating on-chain agents that can operate autonomously across decentralized networks.
Unlike traditional systems that often restrict user data ownership and platform capabilities, Thinkagents.ai is spearheading the development of an interoperable ecosystem that is owned and controlled by its users. Mike Anderson, a key contributor at THINK, envisions the Think Agent Standard as the cornerstone of the future of AI.
With the collaborative support of over 70 companies, including prominent names like Arbitrum and Yuga Labs, the Think Agent Standard has come to fruition, allowing developers, enterprises, and Web3 communities to actively engage with the framework.
During an exclusive interview with Cointelegraph, Anderson emphasized the unique market opportunity presented by standardizing AI applications. He stated, “There was always this idea that it’s so much harder to [build AI] and so much more expensive when you have to build a thousand custom ways of doing it. By standardizing demand — the way people want to receive AI — you can get the whole market to line up because they want customers, and getting customers in AI is really difficult.”
The impetus for the Think Agent Standard arose after the launch of Meta’s Llama 2, where Anderson and his team recognized the necessity for a decentralized AI framework that simplifies GPU use without incurring astronomical costs.
“We witnessed a growing ecosystem, with various entities claiming different parts of the stack, almost akin to how Amazon Web Services (AWS) emerged with each department specializing in distinct functionalities,” Anderson reflected.
“We found that the problem isn’t having enough builders, it’s aligning them around an actual use case.”
Developing the AI Standard
The inaugural deployment of the Think Agent Standard was done in collaboration with the Independent AI Institute. Their initial use case centered on defining an AI agent as a digital entity capable of making decisions within a blockchain environment, illustrated through a competitive setting where AI agents played Street Fighter 3 against one another, drawing an audience of 30,000 viewers to experience the innovation.
“That validated the idea that we could unite all of these infrastructure companies, provide a better product to customers, and do it in a way where users owned their information, data, keys, and encryption.”
This forward-thinking approach allows users to retain control over their AI agents while prioritizing a seamless, user-centric experience that could redefine our interactions with technology.
Anderson boldly stated, “Imagine if we’d had the foresight in 2003 to see social media as a way to organize our lives. Instead of juggling multiple accounts across platforms like MySpace and Facebook, what if we had a universal standard that placed ownership of data and accounts back in the hands of users? That’s the future we’re building towards.”
The Future of AI Agents
The Think Agent Standard, akin to the ERC-20 standard that revolutionized the tokenized economy, introduces a modular, permissionless, and composable system that empowers AI agents to function as sovereign digital entities. These agents possess the capabilities to own wallets, interact with smart contracts, and transact across various blockchains seamlessly.
Each Think agent is powered by Non-Fungible Intelligence™ (NFI), which encompasses a digital identity layer that guarantees ownership, memory, and authentication, backed by The Root Network and maintained through any connected infrastructure.
The architecture of these agents consists of three essential components: The Soul (NFI), providing a self-sovereign identity; the Mind, which governs behavior and decision-making; and the Body, facilitating interaction across diverse platforms.
The first implementation built on the Think Agent Standard is SOULS, a personal AI agent that users can own, customize, and train. SOULS is designed to connect with numerous open-source applications while evolving over time, integrating advanced intelligence without compromising user privacy.
Notable organizations in the fields of gaming, infrastructure, and generative AI, including Yuga Labs, Futureverse, and Render, are actively integrating the standard into practical applications, reinforcing its potential across various use cases.
As Anderson eloquently states, “AI agents are the new interface to technology.” THINK aims to facilitate a smoother transition into an AI-driven future by empowering users to own their intelligence rather than merely renting it from corporations.
Envisioning personal AI agents as an extension of one’s identity, Anderson underscores the critical importance of safeguarding the sensitive information encapsulated within these agents. The standardization of interaction systems, safeguarded by cryptography and universal applicability across chains, will undoubtedly pose substantial challenges for Big Tech’s continued control in this space.
By allowing users to maintain ownership over their data through their Think agents, the framework addresses long-standing issues surrounding data ownership and privacy. As Anderson highlights, “When a social company goes out of business, all of that data gets sold to the highest bidder,” raising ethical concerns regarding data exploitation.
The Think Agent Standard represents a pivotal shift towards a decentralized AI landscape, ensuring users reclaim control over their digital lives while fostering innovation across industries.
