Following the MCP and A2A protocols, the AI agent market has seen another blockbuster arrival: the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), developed by Google. Clearly, this will further enhance AI agents' autonomous multitasking capabilities, but, frustratingly, it has little to do with web3AI. Let's break it down: What exactly does AP2 solve? Simply put, the MCP protocol acts as a universal hook, enabling AI agents to connect to various external tools and data sources; A2A is a collaborative communication protocol, enabling multiple AI agents to collaborate and complete complex tasks; and AP2 completes the final piece of the puzzle: payment capabilities. In other words, MCP opens up connectivity, A2A facilitates collaboration efficiency, and AP2 facilitates value exchange. The arrival of AP2 truly injects lifeblood into autonomous multi-agent collaboration and task execution. Imagine AI agents connecting with Qunar, Meituan, and Didi to book flights, hotels, and car rentals, but then get stuck at the final step of "autonomous payment." What's the point of the entire multi-tasking process? So, remember this: AP2 is an extension of MCP + A2A, solving the last mile problem for AI agent automated execution. What are the technical highlights of AP2? AP2's core innovation is the Mandates mechanism, which offers both real-time and delegated authorization modes. Real-time authorization is easy to understand. The AI Agent finds the product and displays it to you. The user must sign before the action can be executed. Delegated authorization, on the other hand, requires the user to set rules in advance, such as only buying an iPhone 17 when the price drops to 5,000 yuan. The AI Agent monitors the triggering conditions and automatically executes the action. The implementation logic is based on cryptographic signatures using Verifiable Credentials (VCs). Users can set complex delegation conditions, including price ranges, time limits, and payment method priorities, forming a tamper-proof digital contract. Once signed, the AI Agent executes according to the conditions, and VCs are used at every step to ensure auditability and security. Of particular note is the "A2A x402" extension, a technical component developed by Google specifically for crypto payments, in close collaboration with Coinbase and the Ethereum Foundation. This extension enables the AI Agent to seamlessly handle blockchain assets such as stablecoins and ETH, supporting native payment scenarios in the Web3 ecosystem. What possibilities does AP2 offer? After analyzing its technical principles, might you think that's all? Indeed, AP2 itself is rather uninspiring. Its true appeal lies in its integration of the MCP+A2A+AP2 technology stack, completely opening up the complete AI agent chain for autonomous analysis, execution, and payment. This opens up numerous application scenarios for AI agents. For example, AI agents for stock investment and wealth management can help monitor the market 24/7 and conduct autonomous transactions. Enterprise procurement AI agents can automatically restock and renew purchases without manual intervention. AP2's enhanced payment capabilities will further expand the penetration of the agent-to-agent economy into even more scenarios. Google clearly understands that even with a solid technical framework, ecosystem implementation is crucial. Therefore, it has partnered with over 60 partners, virtually encompassing the entire payment and business ecosystem. Interestingly, this includes major crypto players like Ethereum, Coinbase, MetaMask, and Sui. Combined with the current trend of cryptocurrency-stock integration, the potential for growth has been doubled. Is web3AI truly doomed? Not entirely. Google's AP2 appears comprehensive, but it merely enables technical compatibility with crypto payments. It's essentially an extension of the traditional authorization framework, falling under the umbrella of automated execution. This differs from the paradigm of autonomous asset management pursued by pure crypto-native solutions. Crypto-native solutions currently under exploration are taking the "decentralized custody + on-chain verification" approach. These include AI agent autonomous asset management, AI agent autonomous transactions (DeFAI), AI agent digital identity and on-chain reputation systems (ERC-8004, etc.), AI agent on-chain governance DAO frameworks, AI agent NPCs, digital avatars, and many other interesting and exciting directions. Ultimately, as users become accustomed to using AI agents for payments in traditional sectors, their acceptance of AI agents owning digital assets will also increase. Crypto-native solutions will also have a chance to shine in scenarios beyond the reach of AP2, such as anonymous transactions, censorship-resistant payments, and decentralized asset management. The two are more likely to complement each other rather than compete. However, to be honest, the key technological drivers for AI agents currently come from web2AI, so web3AI still needs to continue its efforts!
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Catherine
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