The Ethereum co-founder argues machines can supply creativity and expertise but need blockchains to supply trust
Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin has a thesis about artificial intelligence. It is smart, maybe even creative, but it cannot make anyone trust it.
Speaking on CNBC in an interview on October 7, 2026, Lubin argued that blockchains like Ethereum are what can fill that gap. In his view, AI and crypto will eventually merge into a single system where automated work gets commissioned, completed and paid for.
Lubin, who founded ConsenSys, split the value of AI into two buckets. On one side sits what AI might offer: creativity and expertise. On the other sits what it cannot produce on its own: trust.
Lubin’s argument is that blockchains solve exactly that problem. A public ledger records who asked for what, whether the job was delivered, and whether payment cleared, all without a middleman vouching for either side.
According to Lubin, decentralized protocols on Ethereum can provide the trusted framework for that kind of activity. That means AI agents could, in theory, hire other agents, verify the output and settle the bill on-chain.
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He has previously hinted at a significant increase in autonomous on-chain activity driven by AI agents.
He has also predicted that Ethereum will evolve into a central settlement layer. The idea is that the network becomes less of a place where humans click buttons and more of a back office where software settles its accounts.
One recent initiative is EthSystems, a project backed by Lubin that aims to provide privacy technology for institutions on Ethereum. That matters because institutions tend to want the efficiency of a shared ledger without broadcasting every transaction to competitors.
Lubin also addressed the regulatory backdrop. He said clarity is expected from the SEC and CFTC, even as legislative efforts around crypto oversight have faced delays.
That is a notable distinction. He is pointing to agencies, not Congress, as the more likely near-term source of rules, which suggests the industry may get guidance through regulators before it gets new law.