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Where are we in the AI x Crypto hype cycle? w/ Ben Roy & Nicholas | Ep. 61

Internet Explorers

Release Date: 01/04/2025

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Internet Explorers

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Internet Explorers

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Internet Explorers

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Internet Explorers

The future of crypto might not be bots, bulls**t, and broken incentives — but first, we have some serious receipts to go through. This week we are joined by researcher Joseph Al-Chami for a wide-ranging dive into the biggest consumer crypto stories of the week — and an honest reckoning with how points systems, appcoins, agentic investors, and open social graphs are actually playing out. From Circle’s IPO drama to AI SEO strategies, we’re connecting the dots on what’s really happening across consumer crypto, AI, and internet culture. We kick off with a quickfire rundown of Appcoins,...

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Internet Explorers

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Internet Explorers

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Internet Explorers

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Internet Explorers

Can a gameshow make crypto fun and profitable at the same time? This week on Internet Explorers, we sit down with Krish Jagirdar, co-founder of Rek Tech, the crypto game show where players compete for high-stakes prizes like Rolexes and rare NFTs. Krish shares how Internet Game evolved into Rek Tech and why experiential crypto products are capturing attention. We also dive into Zora’s memecoin experiment—is this the cleanest way to launch a token? Plus, Lore founder Thomas Scaria unveils a new on-chain hedge fund platform, aiming to bring trust and transparency to crypto investing. With...

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Internet Explorers

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Internet Explorers

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More Episodes

Is AI the breakthrough crypto needs? Or is it just in need of good UX? In this first episode of Internet Explorers for 2025, co-hosts Jess Sloss and Josh Cornelius are joined by Ben Roy and Nicholas for a wide-ranging exploration of the metas, tools, and ideas reshaping the Internet.

This episode covers:

  • AI Agents as Proto-Corporations: Are we seeing the birth of a new organizational paradigm? Inspired by Scott Belsky’s Cognicos, the team dives into AI-native coordination and its parallels to DAOs.
  • Crypto’s UX Problem: From confusing wallet setups to network hurdles, crypto adoption continues to struggle. Is 2025 the year this finally changes?
  • The Fat Protocol vs. Fat Apps Debate: Exploring where value truly accrues as foundational models evolve and application layers innovate.
  • Dream Time Theory: What if this moment is the internet’s greatest inflection point? We reflect on Robin Hanson’s idea of a generational turning point, shaped by transformative tech like crypto and AI.

Whether you're a builder, an AI skeptic, or just curious about the intersections of decentralized networks and artificial intelligence, this episode provides thoughtful insights into the possibilities—and challenges—of the year ahead.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 - Big Questions for 2025
  • 09:00 - Rabbit Holes from the Break
  • 13:00 - AI as New Corporations
  • 22:00 - Solving Crypto UX Woes
  • 32:00 - Where's the Value: Protocols vs. Apps
  • 36:00 - Dream Time: An Inflection Point
  • 42:00 - Personal Brands in AI Economies
  • 48:00 - Reimagining Coordination on-Chain
  • 54:00 - Future of Networked Incentives
  • 60:00 - Closing Reflections on Focus

Internet Explorers is a weekly rundown show where extremely online individuals broadly explore (romanticize, even) new consumer internet experiences.

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