The Ethereum Foundation has launched a dedicated artificial intelligence initiative, unveiling the dAI Team to make Ethereum the leading settlement and coordination layer for AI and the machine economy.
Announced by Ethereum Foundation research scientist and Co-Founder of PIN AI, Davide Crapis, on September 15, the move marks a significant step in connecting blockchain infrastructure with the rapidly expanding AI sector.
“Ethereum makes AI more trustworthy, and AI makes Ethereum more useful,” Crapis wrote on X. “The more intelligent agents transact, the more they need a neutral base layer for value and reputation.”
dAI Team Targets Decentralized AI Infrastructure
The new unit will focus on two priorities. First, building an AI economy on Ethereum, where autonomous agents and robots can pay, coordinate, and interact without intermediaries—second, creating a decentralized AI stack that reduces reliance on a handful of centralized providers.
A key part of the roadmap involves advancing ERC-8004, a proposed Ethereum standard designed to prove the identity and trustworthiness of AI agents. This would allow machines to coordinate securely while preserving transparency.
The foundation plans to present the finalized ERC-8004 standard at the upcoming Devconnect conference in Buenos Aires this November, indicating the rapid progress of the initiative.
Crapis also noted that the dAI Team will work closely with Ethereum’s Protocol and Ecosystem groups to align protocol improvements with AI developer needs. The team intends to fund public goods and collaborate with ecosystem projects, encouraging innovation at the intersection of decentralized infrastructure and artificial intelligence.
Ethereum’s AI initiative is part of the foundation’s comprehensive restructuring. This restructuring includes new specialized teams, heightened focus on ecosystem acceleration, and long-term plans to handle Ethereum’s growing role in global finance and technology.
Recent measures include publishing a detailed funding report, launching the “Trillion Dollar Security” initiative in May, and taking a more proactive stance with its ETH treasury. As Crapis put it, the ultimate aim is ensuring “AI works for the people, all of us.”
