Exploring the Shift Towards AI and Robot Technology in the Tech Industry
In this issue of “GoodGame,” AllianceDAO co-founders Imran and Qiao delved into how the tech industry’s focus has rapidly shifted towards AI and robot technology, overshadowing the current innovation cycle of cryptocurrency. The impact of AI on coding and education, as well as the prospect of entry-level positions in law, medicine, and finance potentially becoming extinct, ultimately paints a picture of a future where AI-native, founder-led micro-startups reshape industry norms. This article is sourced from the “GoodGame” podcast, compiled, translated, and written by wublockchain.
The Hype of AI and Robotics Overshadowing the State of Cryptocurrency
Imran: Welcome to “GoodGame,” where we provide insightful discussions for cryptocurrency founders without the fluff. We’ve experienced ups and downs. I believe that in terms of attention, there are many exciting new releases in the AI and robotics field that are overshadowing the dynamics of cryptocurrency.
Qiao: Indeed.
Imran: There will be periods of innovation that attract a lot of people’s attention and minds. I think we are currently in a phase like AI and robotics, while cryptocurrency is undergoing a rebuilding process. If you’re looking for the next startup idea in cryptocurrency, you can check out our startup request list and get inspired at align.xyz/ideas.
Qiao: Currently in the cryptocurrency field, whether builders or investors—even on cryptocurrency Twitter—there is almost only one narrative.
Imran: Stablecoins and tokenization are these two narratives.
Qiao: But it’s still the same story. It’s just chaining traditional assets.
Imran: It seems like a consensus now. Yes.
We see many institutions launching their stablecoins. Fidelity recently announced its stablecoin. Who else? I mean, there are a bunch of companies trying to do the exact same thing. From an innovative perspective.
It seems like there’s nothing really new; they’re just reinventing the wheel.
I’m going to send this reaction image. I tried to get ChatGPT to generate a Studio Ghibli-style reaction image. But essentially, what I want to express is that the competitive environment is actually very small.
Everyone is fighting for each other’s profits. If you look at Binance, they launched two very large indirect announcements. The first one, I don’t know if you’ve seen the Hyperliquid incident, but the bottom line is, there’s a token called Jelly on Hyperliquid.
Imran: Hyperliquid’s trading volume and liquidity have reached a controllable level. Someone opened a short position to extract the value of HLP.
OKX and Binance publicly participated in it—on Twitter posted about it—many interpreted it as them wishing for Hyperliquid to fail because it was seen as a competitive threat to their derivative business.
Another example: Binance is listing tokens from FourMeme, which is a PumpFun clone running on the BNB chain. Tokens like Mubarak and Broccoli have been listed, sparking criticism of Binance’s direction. But the logic is clear—they see platforms like PumpFun as competitors.
Now, Binance is actively competing with Hyperliquid, PumpFun, Jupiter, etc.—this is an on-chain and off-chain war.
Qiao: Everyone is targeting the same verticals—trading and stablecoins. In trading: native crypto platforms and Robinhood. In stablecoins: Circle, Tether, and traditional fintech companies.
Robinhood Advancing Towards Tokenization Strategy
Imran: Robinhood recently held a release event similar to Apple’s, emphasizing their commitment to “tokenizing everything.” With their vast distribution network, they are in a favorable position in the market.
They also want to tokenize real estate—similar to a tradable OpenSea-style MLS—allowing users to trade risk positions in real estate assets.
Qiao: But it’s not physical real estate—they might offer derivatives linked to real estate, which aligns with their strength.
Imran: Exactly—they have a deep understanding of their user base.
Additionally, they launched a cash delivery service—you can request physical cash instead of going to an ATM. Initially, I wondered who still uses cash, but many people do—contractors, barbers, etc.—mostly for privacy reasons.
Qiao: I understand the appeal. Banks ask intrusive questions when you try to withdraw large amounts of cash. It’s frustrating. I just don’t quite understand why Robinhood wants to enter this area.
(And so on…)