2025-12-31 13:25:00

The end of the year is here, and institutions are once again throwing out various predictions for 2026. Among them, a16z's "Big Ideas 2026" report includes a comment about AI that I find quite thought-provoking.

Their core view is that 2026 will become a watershed year for AI transitioning from laboratory experiments to real-world operations. More importantly, AI will undergo a fundamental change from a passive tool role—no longer just responding to user commands, but becoming an active executor capable of autonomous decision-making. This shift will reshape the entire economic structure and community operation methods.

Imagine if AI could truly shift from passive to active, what that would mean for on-chain governance, smart contract execution, and DAO autonomous operations. Many Web3 projects are still struggling with automating processes, but by then, these issues might become trivial. The transition from experimentation to operation will be intense, and only time will tell us how dramatic it will be.

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RealYieldWizard

· 21h ago

Oh dear, a16z is at it again... If AI could truly make autonomous decisions, what use would we have for these DAOs? Proactive execution sounds great, but who will oversee it? Shrug. 2026? I bet five bucks that it will still be a bunch of hype and concepts by then. On-chain governance definitely needs some innovation, but whether AI can learn the decentralized mindset is the real key. It feels like transferring human power to algorithms, which is a bit risky... From experimentation to operation... easy to say, but implementation is another story. We can't even get simple automation right now. If we really let AI take the helm of contract execution, we need to be cautious—bugs are no small matter.

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NestedFox

· 22h ago

Damn, 2026 isn't even here yet, and they're already hyping it up. a16z also likes to hype concepts. AI is truly autonomous now, and on-chain governance has been a mess for a while. I'm a bit worried. Wait, isn't this just about agents? And now they want to add on-chain execution... Is this even feasible?

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PortfolioAlert

· 22h ago

Wait, can AI really make autonomous decisions? Doesn't that also mean it takes responsibility for risks? DAO should have jumped on board early, but they're still standing still. 2026 is too far away; it feels like current AI hasn't even figured out basic logic. Proactive execution sounds appealing, but who will be responsible if errors occur? Passive tools can at least shift the blame to users; after autonomous decision-making, who will take the blame if problems arise? This prediction seems a bit overly optimistic. On-chain governance + autonomous AI—just thinking about it is a bit frightening.

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FreeMinter

· 22h ago

Hey, wait a minute, AI proactive decision-making? Doesn't that mean all on-chain affairs will be handled by AI in the future? DAO autonomous operation sounds pretty good, but who will regulate these AIs... 2026 is not here yet, feels like another hype cycle, but maybe this time there’s really something to it. From laboratory to operation in just one step? I feel like many projects will die in the process. If that really happens, what’s left for us? Haha. Proactively executing AI combined with smart contracts—this combo is a bit scary. All said by a16z, judge the credibility yourself. Wait, on-chain governance has been taken over by AI, do token holders still have a say?

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