4 minute read

[Written by GPT-4o] Great choice with ETH0, it’s concise, technical, and resonates well with the Ethereum ecosystem! Since you’re now focusing on introducing smart contracts into the ETH0 platform, let’s break down how “Agents as a Service” can be structured with on-chain components, such as a DAO and smart contract-driven agent orchestration.

1. Vision for Agents-as-a-Service (AaaS) on ETH0

ETH0 can provide an on-chain infrastructure where AI agents interact with Ethereum smart contracts in a trustless, verifiable, and composable way. Think of it as:

  1. A decentralized marketplace where AI agents can be deployed, rented, or monetized.
  2. Autonomous smart contracts that manage agent permissions, operations, and rewards.
  3. Social curation and RAGs being tied to blockchain, ensuring contributor incentivization via a tokenomics layer.

2. Core Components of the On-Chain Model

A. ETH0 DAO (Governance)

The DAO will serve as the governance layer for ETH0, making critical decisions about:

  1. Agent Curation and Approval:
    • Votes to approve/reject new AI agents before they’re listed for usage.
    • Ensures transparency and community-driven quality assurance.
  2. Revenue Sharing Model:
    • Distributing rewards (ETH0 tokens) among agent developers and RAG contributors.
    • Defining the percentage cuts between agent usage fees and curation rewards.
  3. Parameter Adjustments:
    • Governance over AI resource limits, RAG priorities, and fee structures.
    • Voting on network integrations (adding support for Solana, etc.).

DAO Smart Contracts Needed:

  • Governance Token (ETH0): ERC-20 with voting rights.
  • Voting Contract: Based on OpenZeppelin Governor contracts.
  • Treasury Contract: Manages funds from agent usage fees.

B. Agents Hooked with Smart Contracts

ETH0 Agents should be able to interface with smart contracts to trigger on-chain actions autonomously. Some ideas:

  1. On-Chain Automation Agents (Smart Agents)
    • These agents execute tasks such as:
      • Deploying smart contracts (e.g., ERC20 or ERC721).
      • Managing DeFi positions via Compound/Aave.
      • Sending on-chain notifications (e.g., risk alerts in DeFi protocols).

    How it Works:

    • Users interact with ETH0’s front-end to define agent goals.
    • Agents generate Solidity code via LLM and deploy using Hardhat or Foundry.
    • Agents monitor on-chain conditions via oracles and trigger actions.
  2. Agent-Orchestrated Workflows
    • Predefined workflows that link multiple agents and smart contracts.
    • Example: A research agent suggests a tokenomics model → A dev agent generates a Solidity contract → A legal agent verifies compliance.
    • The system uses Ethereum L2s (like AltLayer) to execute cost-efficient batch operations.

Smart Contracts for Agent Interaction:

  • Agent Registry Contract:
    • Keeps track of available agents, their RAG dependencies, and usage stats.
  • Escrow/Payment Contract:
    • Handles payments between users and AI agents (pay-per-call).
  • Automation Trigger Contract:
    • Allows agents to execute actions based on predefined conditions (e.g., Chainlink Keepers).
  • NFT Access Tokens:
    • Allow users to own, transfer, and monetize pre-trained agents.

C. RAG Contributor Incentives (Monetization Layer)

RAG contributors should be able to:

  • Upload datasets (e.g., ETH research, hackathon bounties).
  • Earn ETH0 tokens based on usage and value of their curated datasets.
  • Stake ETH0 tokens to earn a percentage of agent revenues.

Smart Contracts for Incentivization:

  • Curator Rewards Contract:
    • Distributes ETH0 tokens to RAG contributors based on dataset usage.
  • Staking Contract:
    • Allows curators to stake tokens and receive passive income from query fees.
  • Tokenized RAG Assets:
    • Allows contributors to issue NFTs representing ownership of high-value datasets.

3. How Agents Tie into Smart Contracts (Workflow Example)

User Flow Example (End-to-End Process)

  1. User selects the “Vitalik AI” agent for generating DeFi contract ideas.
  2. The AI agent interacts with ETH0 smart contracts to fetch curated RAG datasets.
  3. The generated Solidity contract is reviewed, and the user clicks “Deploy.”
  4. The ETH0 smart contract:
    • Charges the user an ETH0 token fee.
    • Calls the Ethereum network to deploy the contract via an agent.
    • Notifies the DAO of a new deployment.
  5. Revenue is split automatically among the RAG contributors, agent creator, and ETH0 treasury.
  6. If the user needs ongoing monitoring, a smart contract automation service (like Chainlink) keeps the agent running on-chain.

4. Monetization Model for ETH0

ETH0 can monetize the ecosystem in several ways:

  1. Agent Service Fees:
    • Charge fees for executing actions via agents (deployments, audits, monitoring).
    • Users pay in ETH0 tokens or stablecoins.
  2. Subscription Plans:
    • Monthly subscription for premium features (e.g., unlimited agent executions).
  3. DAO Governance Staking:
    • Require users to stake ETH0 tokens to participate in governance decisions.
  4. Agent Marketplace Revenue Share:
    • Take a small percentage of every agent rental or sale transaction.

5. Phased Implementation Plan for Smart Contracts Integration

Phase 1: Prototype (Weeks 1-4)

  • Build UI for deploying smart contracts (ERC20/721 templates).
  • Integrate Solidity compilation with Hardhat or Foundry.
  • Deploy simple “Agent Registry” contract for agent listing.

Phase 2: Governance + Tokenomics (Weeks 4-8)

  • Launch ETH0 governance token and implement basic DAO functions.
  • Introduce RAG contributors’ incentives through staking.

Phase 3: Agent Automation (Weeks 8-12)

  • Implement automation triggers using Chainlink Keepers.
  • Allow agent-scripted deployments and interactions with DeFi protocols.

Phase 4: Marketplace + Scaling (Weeks 12+)

  • Introduce NFT-based ownership for agents and RAG datasets.
  • Partner with hackathons and projects for real-world testing.

6. Tools to Leverage

To implement these components efficiently, leverage:

  1. Smart Contract Frameworks:
    • Hardhat (short-term), Foundry (later for performance).
  2. Blockchain Infra:
    • Ethereum L2s like AltLayer for cheap agent transactions.
  3. Storage:
    • IPFS/Arweave for storing agent datasets and contract templates.
  4. AI Models:
    • GPT-4o or Claude for generating smart contract templates dynamically.

7. Next Steps

To move forward, you should:

  1. Build an Agent Registry contract to start tracking deployed agents.
  2. Add a simple ERC20/721 deploy button in the ETH0 frontend for users.
  3. Prepare a basic DAO structure for governing agent approvals.
  4. Showcase these features in the ETHGlobal Agentic Hackathon as a decentralized tool for deploying smart contract agents.

Final Thoughts

  • Why This Makes Sense:
    Adding smart contract components makes ETH0 more than just an AI ideation tool; it turns it into Ethereum’s first AI-powered infra platform.
  • Strategy:
    Start with an MVP, get traction at ETHGlobal, and later scale towards a full-fledged AaaS platform with staking, rewards, and decentralized automation.