The Ethereum Foundation has launched a new dAI team to advance decentralized AI, according to the organization. The effort, led by research scientist Davide Crapis, targets a future where Ethereum serves as the primary settlement and coordination layer for AI agents. The team also aims to build a decentralized AI stack that reduces dependence on centralized platforms. This push places Ethereum at the center of the machine economy conversation.
ERC-8004 and AI agent identity
A near-term priority for the dAI team is ERC-8004, a proposed standard for AI agent identity and interoperability. The standard aims to create a trust layer for finding and interacting with AI agents and is slated to debut at Devconnect in November, according to the source.
As a result, the initiative could help developers align agent discovery, reputation, and cross-app communication. In turn, it frames Ethereum as a neutral base layer for value and identity.
“AI makes Ethereum more useful”
Davide Crapis said, “Ethereum makes AI more trustworthy, and AI makes Ethereum more useful,” underscoring the team’s dual mission. He argues intelligent agents will increasingly require a neutral foundation for value and reputation.
The dAI team’s roadmap focuses on two pillars:
• Position Ethereum as the preferred coordination layer for AI agents and the machine economy.
• Build a decentralized AI stack to avoid reliance on centralized platforms.
Therefore, standardized identities and interoperable agent tooling could become core infrastructure for onchain AI. For background on how tokens interface with AI systems, see this overview of crypto tokens. For readers exploring stable, onchain value rails that agents might use, review our guide on how stablecoins work.
