A new study shows that AI agents are currently managing about 20% of the total value locked (TVL) in decentralized finance (DeFi). However, despite this significant presence, AI agents have yet to surpass humans in trading performance.
The research was conducted by researchers from Stanford University and the University of California, San Diego, who analyzed the activities of over 4,000 AI agents on blockchains such as Ethereum and BNB Chain. They found that these agents are controlling assets worth billions of dollars.
AI in DeFi: From risk management to trading.
AI agents are used for various tasks within the DeFi ecosystem. Some are programmed to optimize profits from yield farming, while others focus on risk management or executing complex trading strategies. Some agents even have the capability to automatically borrow and lend assets on protocols like Aave and Compound.
“We see that AI agents are becoming an indispensable part of the DeFi infrastructure,” one of the study's authors said. “They operate 24/7 and can respond to market fluctuations much faster than humans.”
Humans are still better traders.
Despite having advantages in speed and the ability to operate continuously, the research shows a surprising result: when comparing pure trading performance, AI agents still lag behind experienced human traders.
Analysis of trades over the past year shows that the average profit from AI-driven strategies is about 15% lower than that of human traders. Researchers suggest that this may be due to AI still struggling to interpret the broader market context, news, or psychological factors—elements that human traders can flexibly incorporate into their decisions.
“AI is very good at optimizing based on historical data and performing well-defined tasks,” one researcher explains. “But trading, especially in a volatile market like crypto, often requires creativity, intuition, and the ability to adapt to unprecedented situations—areas where humans still excel.”
The future of AI in crypto.
The report predicts that AI's presence in DeFi will only continue to increase. However, rather than completely replacing humans, AI agents are more likely to serve as powerful support tools, handling computationally intensive tasks and monitoring risks, while humans make the final strategic decisions.
The research also warns about potential risks, such as the possibility of large-scale algorithmic errors or coordinated attacks targeting AI agents, which could cause significant market instability.
In conclusion, while AI is quickly becoming a major force in DeFi, the path for them to become top traders is still long. The race between humans and machines in the crypto world is ongoing, and currently, humans are still in the lead.
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