SBF: The biggest issue facing cryptocurrencies is whether AI will use them as a means of payment

On February 27, FTX founder SBF posted on social media stating, “The biggest issue facing cryptocurrencies is: will artificial intelligence use them? If an instance of ChatGPT or Claude needs more computing power, will it pay via wire transfer, credit card, or use cryptocurrency? Traditional financial systems have inherent barriers to AI payments—AI doesn’t have a passport, address, social security number, or even a name, making KYC (Know Your Customer) impossible. In contrast, cryptocurrencies are inherently digital and permissionless, allowing AI to access the blockchain directly, making them more suitable for AI payments. Another possibility is the ‘agent model’: each AI is considered an agent of a person, who completes KYC and is responsible for the AI’s actions. This model also raises legal challenges—who will be responsible for the AI’s behavior? Regardless of the approach, integrating AI with transaction and payment systems requires significant work—either built on native digital and crypto infrastructure or relying on human ‘owners’ to manage AI’s financial activities. Either way, some effort is needed to connect AI’s world with the world of transactions and payments. These efforts are either inherently digital and crypto-based or depend on human ‘owners’ of AI. The development direction of this integration will have a major impact on the entire world. One of the key aspects is the future of cryptocurrencies.”