Anthropic-driven acceleration in AI automation… growing expectations for an on-chain/crypto convergence

After Anthropic unveiled AI agent tools including legal-work automation, shares of global software companies plunged, fueling concerns that AI automation could disrupt the existing SaaS industry structure. At the same time, the market is also seeing rising expectations that the spread of AI agents could spur demand for on-chain automation and the use of cryptoassets.

According to Decrypt on the 4th (local time), Anthropic released 11 open-source plugins late last month leveraging its AI model “Claude.” When legal plugins that automate contract review, NDA classification and compliance checks were unveiled, related software stocks sold off sharply. Thomson Reuters shares fell 18% in a single day, while LegalZoom and Pearson also posted double-digit declines.

At the heart of the shock is the perception that AI has moved beyond a simple assistive tool and entered a phase where it can replace entire end-to-end workflows for specific tasks. In particular, the “per-seat pricing” model long maintained by incumbent SaaS companies is seen as facing a structural challenge as AI agents proliferate.

This shift also intersects with the cryptoasset industry. In an environment where AI agents independently carry out work and execute transactions, automated payments, conditional settlement and programmatic fund transfers are essential. The industry is increasingly arguing that smart contracts and token-based payment architectures could emerge as core infrastructure for an AI-agent economy.

In practice, on-chain environments are viewed as well suited to transparently recording transaction histories between AI agents and implementing outcome-based reward structures. A structure in which rewards are automatically executed upon completion of specific tasks is considered more efficient than existing centralized payment systems. In this process, the potential use of stablecoins and tokenized payment instruments is also being discussed.

Some market participants believe that the spread of AI automation could, in fact, become a catalyst for expanding real-world use cases for cryptoassets. If an environment is established in which AI agents autonomously enter into contracts and disburse funds on-chain, cryptoassets could function not merely as speculative assets but as a means of payment for digital labor and an automated economy.

Still, some note that in the near term, heightened volatility and disruption from the reshaping of existing industry structures will be unavoidable. Analysts say the timeline for realizing an on-chain/crypto convergence could vary depending on how quickly AI automation spreads and how regulators respond. Even so, as AI companies including Anthropic move decisively into workplace automation, market attention is turning to the possibility that cryptoassets and on-chain infrastructure could emerge as a key linkage in an AI-agent economy.