During the Paris Blockchain Week 2025, a panel titled “Decentralised Intelligence: Creating a New Digital Era” was held, organized on the main stage sponsored by Ripple.
On stage, experts in AI, finance, Web3, and technological innovation discussed the joint impact of blockchain and artificial intelligence on a global scale.
A discussion rich in insights on innovation, regulation, tech geopolitics, and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Panelist:
- Alex Koster – Partner, Bain & Company
- Marion Laboure – Macro Strategist, Deutsche Bank
- Nicolas Cary – Co-Founder, Blockchain.com
- Benjamin Miceli – COO, Netmind.ai
- Swami Vullers – Partner, Outlier Ventures
- Bernard Nicolay – Professor, Solvay Brussels School of Economics & Management
Paris Blockchain Week 2025: AI as an additive, not destructive, technology
During one of the most anticipated Web3 events of the year, contrary to the dominant narrative that describes AI as a disruptive force, the speakers emphasized that it is actually an additive technology, capable of enhancing the existing rather than overturning it.
With the exception of a particularly sensitive area: the social and cultural sphere.
“The big players in AI avoid direct confrontation with social media. But those who are outside these cultural constraints can experiment freely, integrating intelligent agents on Twitter, Discord, and Slack to truly change the way we communicate.”
Blockchain: the key to accountability and scalability
With the exponential increase in interaction between intelligent agents, the need arises for structures capable of coordinating, monitoring, and regulating processes in a transparent and scalable way. And this is where blockchain comes into play.
“Settlement and accountability systems on a large scale cannot exist without advanced blockchain architectures. Only by testing the limits of these networks can we truly unlock trillions of dollars in value.”
Technological Geopolitics: the Semiconductor Case
In the current macroeconomic landscape, the tensions between the United States and China directly affect technological development. Control over semiconductor production is today one of the most sensitive strategic nodes, with direct impacts on the progress of AI.
“It is essential to monitor the dynamics of the technological war, from chip restrictions to commercial relationships. All of this will directly influence the evolution of AI in the coming months.”
The agentic revolution: AI that creates, codes, and innovates
From automatic coding to the discovery of new materials, the era of autonomous AI agents — defined as the agentic revolution — is transforming human productivity.
“In my team I said: consider that we have hired a new colleague. It is an automatic co-writer, and in a year it will have to know how to write code on its own.”
A revolution that does not eliminate jobs, but transforms them, increasing speed, quality, and accessibility.
An era of unprecedented value creation
The combination of AI and blockchain opens the doors to an era of widespread and accessible wealth. New generations of entrepreneurs will be able to access tools never seen before, capable of multiplying productivity and drastically reducing entry barriers.
“We are entering an era of 100x innovation. Better, faster, cheaper. It is a historic opportunity.”
Blockchain and AI: the future must be designed together
Technologies like AI and blockchain are not just tools, but transformative forces. The real challenge will be to build a shared, connected, and collaborative intelligence.
“The future of intelligence belongs to those who design it together.”
