AI Agents Surge 2025, OORT CEO Warns of Security, Regulation Hurdles

In 2025, AI agents became a focal point for participants in the crypto market, being integrated into various sectors such as decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming, infrastructure, and even DAO governance. These autonomous, machine-learning-driven software agents were hailed as the next evolution of Web3 intelligence.

OORT CEO Dr. Max Li was contacted for his perspective on whether these AI agents could reshape the crypto landscape. Li provided valuable insights but cautioned that real-world adoption, security, and regulation are significant hurdles that need to be addressed.

According to Dr. Max Li, the founder and CEO of decentralized cloud network OORT, the rapid development of AI agents is outpacing the infrastructure needed to support them. He pointed to models like ElizaOS as examples of this acceleration. However, Li believes that the broader playing field is not yet ready. He noted that core infrastructure, including decentralized storage and tokenized agent marketplaces, is still under construction.

Li emphasized that while scalability is often seen as a weakness in crypto, security and compliance pose even greater threats. This is particularly true when tokenizing AI outputs such as computing, decision-making, or real-time data. Li raised critical questions about data ownership, compliance with global data laws like GDPR, and the handling of sensitive personal or financial information on-chain. He warned that these issues may already be more significant barriers than scalability.

Li also highlighted the risks associated with the lack of clear custodianship or compliance frameworks, which extend beyond the crypto industry to regulators, investors, and end-users.

Despite the industry's claims that AI agents will bring real-world industries on-chain, Li believes this is still a fantasy, especially in the context of public blockchains. He explained that while enterprises like Walmart could benefit from AI for internal operations, there is little incentive to tokenize those agents. Traditional firms prioritize efficiency and control over decentralized tokens.

Li noted that most enterprises would prefer to keep their data within their own secured servers rather than exposing it on a public, decentralized network. While private chains may offer a bridge, the idea of tokenized agents powering real-world logistics or finance remains a crypto-native dream for now.

AI agent tokens have seen a significant surge in 2025, driven by the momentum of both AI and crypto. However, Li compared this to the dot-com bubble, concluding that while innovation is real, the market is overheated. He does not believe the current rally is sustainable, echoing sentiments from industry figures who warn that most AI token projects launch too early.

Li also highlighted the underappreciated risk of regulation in the AI agent boom. The intersection of open AI systems, tokenized data, and borderless blockchains presents a compliance minefield. Li warned of unresolved contradictions, such as how decentralized AI can be both transparent and private, and who is liable when agents act autonomously but cause financial losses.

In the short term, regulatory intervention is likely to create additional hurdles for innovation, especially where there is no global consensus on KYC (know-your-customer) and AML (anti-money laundering) laws, and data governance. Until jurisdictions align on these issues, institutional adoption will remain cautious.

While the rise of AI agents is undeniable, their integration into tokenized crypto ecosystems is still a high-risk, high-ambiguity frontier. Infrastructure remains fragile, legal frameworks are missing, and real-world adoption is speculative at best. Dr. Max Li's view is clear: the crypto industry must shift its focus from hype to functionality—from token-first to agent-first design. Only then will the next leap in AI-powered decentralization become more than just a market cycle.