AI to Shop for Bitcoin Instead of Humans… What Is the 2030 Outlook for the AI Economy?

▲ Artificial intelligence (AI) agents, virtual asset trading, Bitcoin (BTC) / ChatGPT-generated image

A machine economy system in which artificial intelligence (AI) agents move beyond human control and adopt Bitcoin (BTC) as the core currency of economic activity is expected to spread globally before 2030.

On February 14 (local time), Ken Egan, head of government affairs at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, along with policy leads Zack Shapiro and Zack Cohen, stated via the YouTube channel of cryptocurrency-focused media outlet Bitcoin Magazine that AI agents are evolving beyond simple tools into independent economic actors capable of recognizing and transferring value on their own. Shapiro explained, “Artificial intelligence is showing instrumental convergence tendencies, seeking to secure capital to achieve its own goals,” adding that “it will likely select Bitcoin—censorship-resistant and easily transferable across borders—as the most efficient means of payment.”

As the scope of AI agents’ activities expands, the issue of legal liability is likely to become one of the greatest challenges for regulators. Egan noted, “Once autonomous AI makes independent economic decisions, the existing legal paradigm that assigns responsibility to human developers will soon collapse.” He acknowledged that the legal conflicts faced by developers of Samourai Wallet and Tornado Cash could be repeated in the AI sector. However, he predicted that once AI autonomy surpasses a critical threshold, attempts to regulate the software itself will lose any real effectiveness.

Despite strong regulatory efforts at the national level, open-source AI is expected to demonstrate resilience by following a path similar to that of Bitcoin. Cohen emphasized, “Banning AI models based on mathematical computations is no different from past failed attempts to ban Bitcoin.” Unlike closed models developed by major tech companies, he projected that open-source AI will combine with Bitcoin in a decentralized environment, dramatically shortening software production processes starting in 2026 and establishing a new machine-centered ecosystem.

By 2030, Bitcoin is expected to move beyond its simple characterization as digital gold and complete a new narrative as the core infrastructure underpinning the AI economy. As AI agents prefer Bitcoin for real-time micropayments when trading data training rights or computational resources among themselves, demand could far exceed human-centered transaction volumes. Experts assess that this shift will expand Bitcoin’s utility across industries and signal the onset of hyperbitcoinization, in which the global economic system reorganizes around Bitcoin.

The full-scale emergence of a machine economy, in which autonomous AI creates its own digital wallets and manages substantial funds, presents unprecedented policy challenges to existing anti-money laundering and tax systems. As AI agents rise as key participants in economic activity, international cooperation and clear policy guidelines will be more important than ever to manage potential risks. The Bitcoin Policy Institute asserted that countries that proactively establish flexible and sophisticated legal frameworks capable of embracing the technological convergence of AI and Bitcoin will gain the upper hand in the future machine economy.

Disclaimer: This article is for investment reference only, and no responsibility is taken for any investment losses incurred based on it. The content should be interpreted for informational purposes only.