Animoca’s Yat Siu Sees AI Agents Shaping the Next Phase of the Metaverse

During a discussion at Consensus 2026, Yat Siu, co-founder of Animoca Brands, outlined an evolving vision for the metaverse that moves beyond virtual worlds. Siu argued that the future of the metaverse may be defined less by immersive digital environments and more by networks of AI agents that facilitate commerce, payment processing, and online coordination. He emphasized that these machine-driven interactions would operate over blockchain infrastructure, making much of the activity decentralized and automated. According to Siu, this shift could lead to a metaverse populated by billions of AI entities conducting tasks and transactions on users' behalf. This view marks a pivot in thinking—positioning the metaverse not just as a destination, but as a technological ecosystem powered by artificial intelligence and secure, decentralized protocols. Siu’s perspective signals a broader industry trend towards integrating AI and blockchain technologies to reshape online engagement, digital asset management, and economic coordination.