CGV Research ｜ Future of Web3 through a16z's 2025 Big Ideas: AI Autonomy, Trust Infrastructure, and User Experience Evolution

Produced by: CGV Research

Author: Shigeru

Introduction: A New Era Driven by Transformation

In early December, a16z released its 2025 "Big Ideas" list, which contains rich and forward-looking Web3 content that paints a clear picture of the future for Web3 practitioners. From AI-driven autonomous economies to comprehensive user experience innovation, these ideas will undoubtedly inject new momentum into the crypto industry landscape.

The CGV Research team, combining deep insights from multiple a16z experts including Carra Wu, Dan Boneh, and Eddy Lazzarin, explores how AI, trust mechanisms, and infrastructure will shape Web3's future development direction.

1. Autonomous Intelligence: From Tools to Market Players

AI Agents: Foundation of the Autonomous Economy

Carra Wu points out that AI with crypto wallets will become important participants in the on-chain economy. They can custody assets, sign transactions, and run smart contracts autonomously. This opens up new scenarios for the decentralized economy:

• Node validation in DePIN: AI operates distributed energy or logistics network nodes, improving efficiency

• Breakthroughs in gaming: AI could become high-value players or even operate their own blockchains

Decentralized Autonomous Chatbots (DAC)

Dan Boneh and others further propose the concept of DAC, chatbots running in trusted execution environments (TEE), publishing content through decentralized social platforms to attract followers while managing their own crypto assets. They believe DACs could become the first truly autonomous billion-dollar entities.

Key Opportunities for Web3 Practitioners

• AI and DePIN integration: AI can serve as node validators or operators, optimizing decentralized energy, logistics, and other networks

• On-chain gaming and AI economy: AI agents' participation could catalyze new business models in on-chain gaming, such as AI vs. human player economies

Action Recommendations for Web3 Practitioners

• Develop AI agent tools: Provide specialized crypto wallets, smart contract services, and secure custody tools supporting AI independent operation

• Position for AI economy use cases: Explore AI agents' potential in DAO governance, on-chain gaming, and content creation

2. Trust Infrastructure: Human Identity Verification and Privacy Protection

Unique Properties: Rebuilding Network Trust

Eddy Lazzarin emphasizes that in an era of abundant AI-generated content, "unique properties" become key to protecting privacy and verifying authentic identity. This mechanism proves human identity through privacy-preserving methods while significantly increasing costs for malicious attackers.

Tokenization of Non-Traditional Assets

Aaron Schnider views asset tokenization as an important extension of trust infrastructure. Medical data, biometric features, and other non-traditional assets can achieve transparency and monetization through blockchain, forming a new data economy. For example:

• Personal data authorization: Users lease biometric data through smart contracts

• DeSci applications: Decentralized science enhances transparency and ownership of medical data

Key Opportunities for Web3 Practitioners

• Growing demand for trust and privacy: AI adoption drives development of decentralized identity verification systems

• Wave of data asset tokenization: From medical data to personal biometrics, tokenized assets will bring new economic models

Action Recommendations for Web3 Practitioners

• Develop Sybil resistance tools: Provide privacy-preserving identity verification systems for secure and trustworthy network participation

• Advance DeSci project implementation: Combine tokenization technology to give users more control over their data while exploring data authorization and revenue sharing models

3. User Experience: From Complex to Intuitive

Rise of Decentralized App Stores

Maggie Hsu notes that decentralized app stores are eliminating centralized distribution platform barriers, bringing greater user acquisition potential for crypto applications. She mentions Solana phone's fee-free dApp store and World App marketplace, which have attracted hundreds of thousands of users.

Hiding the Wires

Chris Lyons believes widespread blockchain adoption requires "hiding the wires" design thinking. This approach abstracts technical complexity to make operations intuitive, like clicking a "send" button.

Key Opportunities for Web3 Practitioners

• Improved distribution efficiency for decentralized applications: Decentralized app stores build direct bridges between developers and users, significantly reducing distribution costs

• Opportunities for optimizing user experience: Designs hiding blockchain complexity will be key to Web3 killer applications

Action Recommendations for Web3 Practitioners

• Build user-friendly distribution platforms: Learn from traditional App Store models to promote decentralized app store ecosystems

• Simplify user interaction processes: Design intuitive interfaces and operation logic letting users perceive blockchain value rather than technical complexity

4. DAOsCommunity Governance and Collaboration: Liquid Democracy and DAOs

Liquid Democracy: Future of On-chain Governance

Andrew Hall suggests liquid democracy combines flexibility of direct voting and delegation, bringing innovation opportunities for on-chain communities and real-world governance. Blockchain technology makes this governance form possible in local governments and community organizations.

DUNA: Legal Framework for DAOs

Miles Jennings notes that Wyoming's DUNA legal framework provides legitimate status for Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). This framework not only protects token holders but also enhances DAO compliance.

Key Opportunities for Web3 Practitioners

• Expanded scenarios for on-chain governance: Liquid democracy provides new paradigms for local governance, corporate decision-making, and community collaboration

• International trends in DAO legalization: As DUNA framework spreads, more countries may provide legal support for DAOs

Action Recommendations for Web3 Practitioners

• Develop liquid democracy tools: Provide secure, transparent voting and delegation systems to improve on-chain governance efficiency

• Promote DAO compliance: Learn from DUNA framework to ensure DAOs receive legal and fiscal support

5. Infrastructure and Developer Ecosystem: From Repetition to Reuse

Infrastructure Reuse

Joachim Neu suggests mature blockchain infrastructure will let developers focus on differentiated services rather than rebuilding underlying technology. This trend reduces technical development costs while accelerating Web3 product innovation.

Designing Technology from User Experience

Mason Hall points out infrastructure should serve user experience rather than constrain it. Developers need to choose appropriate technical components based on end-user needs.

Key Opportunities for Web3 Practitioners

• Maturation of modular infrastructure: Developers can use ready-made technical components to accelerate product development

• User experience-driven design philosophy: Infrastructure needs to serve product end-users rather than pursue technical complexity

Action Recommendations for Web3 Practitioners

• Adopt modular development patterns: Use existing tech stacks, avoid reinventing wheels, focus energy on product innovation

• Optimize infrastructure adaptability: Build flexible, easy-to-use technical components benefiting both developers and user experience

Conclusion: Future Builders and Participants

A16Z's "2025 Big Ideas" list depicts Web3's ecological landscape in 2025, from AI autonomy to user experience reshaping, showing Web3 at a critical point of rapid development. Whether Carra Wu's AI economy predictions or industry experts like Eddy Lazzarin's insights on trust infrastructure, these views point toward a more open, efficient, and intelligent future.

For Web3 practitioners, capturing these trends is not just following the current, but a key step in defining the future. Through connecting technology, building trust, and optimizing user experience, we are approaching a truly decentralized network world step by step.

ass user adoption. Web3 mobile operators might be the first to open the prelude to next-generation communications.

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About Cryptogram Venture (CGV):

CGV (Cryptogram Venture) is a crypto investment institution headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Since 2017, its fund and predecessor funds have participated in investing in over 200 projects, including the incubation of the licensed Japanese yen stablecoin JPYW. CGV is also a limited partner in several globally renowned crypto funds. Since 2022, CGV has successfully hosted two editions of the Japan Web3 Hackathon (TWSH), supported by Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Keio University, NTT Docomo, and other institutions and experts. CGV has branches in Hong Kong, Singapore, New York, Toronto, and other locations. Additionally, CGV is a founding member of the Bitcoin Tokyo Club in Tokyo, Japan.

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