Web4 Explained: Anndy Lian on AI Agents, Blockchain, & Digital Sovereignty

In this episode of The Smart Economy Podcast, host Dylan Grabowski is joined by Anndy Lian, author of Web4: The Age of Autonomous Intelligence. Together, they explore why the next evolution of the internet may require more than simply combining AI with blockchain. Lian explains why he believes Web3 failed to achieve true decentralization, how AI agents could become a new layer of digital coordination, and why future systems must balance autonomy, transparency, privacy, and community governance. The conversation also dives into meme coin communities, government adoption of blockchain, decentralized AI, and what a genuinely user-owned internet might look like.

• Why Anndy believes Web3 never fully achieved decentralization

• How AI agents could transform governance, coordination, and digital ownership

• Why decentralized AI may become as important as decentralized finance

• How governments evaluate blockchain technology behind closed doors

• Why meme coins continue to attract communities despite industry criticism

• How blockchain can serve as the trust layer for future AI systems

• Why digital sovereignty may become increasingly important in an AI-driven world

• What Web4 means and how it differs from Web1, Web2, and Web3

• Why open-source infrastructure may be critical for the future of AI

• And much more!

Anndy Lian is an intergovernmental blockchain advisor, investor, entrepreneur, and best-selling author who has spent more than a decade working across blockchain, fintech, digital transformation, and emerging technologies. Since entering crypto in 2012, he has advised governments, regulators, enterprises, exchanges, and financial institutions on blockchain adoption and digital asset strategy. Lian is the author of Web4: The Age of Autonomous Intelligence, where he outlines his vision for a future internet powered by decentralized AI, autonomous agents, and community-owned infrastructure. Having worked at the intersection of public policy, business, and technology across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, he brings a unique perspective on how blockchain and AI may converge to shape the next generation of digital systems.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jDpIijUJsjs

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