Author: On-Chain View
Following the MCP and A2A protocols, a significant new protocol called the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) has emerged, developed by Google. Clearly, this further enhances the AI Agent's ability to autonomously execute multiple tasks, but it has little to do with web3AI. Let's break it down:
——What problem does AP2 actually solve?
In simple terms, the MCP protocol acts like a universal hook, enabling AI Agents to connect with various external tools and data sources; the A2A team has developed a collaborative communication protocol that allows multiple AI Agents to work together to complete complex tasks; AP2 fills in the last piece of the puzzle—payment capability.
Thus, MCP opened up connection capabilities, A2A began to improve collaboration efficiency, and AP2 completed value exchange. AP2 is set to truly inject "soul" into multi-agent collaboration and task execution.
Imagine an AI agent connecting with platforms like Qunar, Meituan, and Didi to complete orders, hotel bookings, and employee arrangements, but then gets stuck during the "autonomous calculation" phase. What would be the point of the entire multi-task execution? So, remember this phrase:
AP2 is an extension of MCP + A2A, solving the last integral problem of automated execution for AI Agents.
——What are the technical highlights of AP2?
The core innovation of AP2 is the authorization mechanism, which includes real-time authorization and delegated authorization modes.
Real-time authorization is easy to understand; the AI Agent finds a product and presents it to you, and only after user specification can it execute the operation. Delegated authorization requires users to set rules in advance, such as buying an iPhone 17 only if the price drops to 5000. The AI Agent monitors the triggering conditions and executes automatically.
Based on the implementation logic of verifiable credentials (VCs), encryption allows users to set complex delegated conditions, including price ranges, time limits, payment method priorities, and tamper-proof digital contracts with signatures. Once signed, the AI Agent will execute according to the conditions, with each step having VCs to ensure auditability and security.
Notably, the "A2A x402" extension is a technology developed by Google specifically for crypto payments, in deep collaboration with Coinbase and the Ethereum Foundation. This extension enables AI Agents to seamlessly handle stablecoins, ETH, and other blockchain assets, supporting key payment scenarios in the Web3 ecosystem.
——What imaginative possibilities does AP2 bring?
After analyzing the technical principles, one might wonder if that's all there is to it? Indeed, if you look at AP in isolation, it may seem unremarkable.
Its true charm lies in the connection that integrates the "MCP + A2A + AP2" tech stack, completely opening up the full process of AI Agent's autonomous analysis + execution + payment.
As a result, many application scenarios for AI Agents can now be explored. For example, an AI Agent for investment can help us monitor the market 24/7 and conduct autonomous trading, while an AI Agent for enterprise procurement can automatically restock and renew subscriptions, reducing the need for human intervention. The completion of payment capabilities by AP2 will further penetrate more scenarios in the Agent-to-Agent economy.
Google clearly understands that after breaking through the technical framework, it still needs to rely on ecosystem implementation, so it has partnered with over 60 collaborators, nearly encompassing the entire payment and commercial ecosystem. Yes, it also involves major crypto players like Ethereum, Coinbase, MetaMask, and Sui, doubling the imaginative possibilities in the trend of integrated asset and stock fusion.
——Is there really no opportunity for web3AI?
Not necessarily. Google's AP2 appears quite complete, but it only achieves technical compatibility for crypto payments and can be seen as an extension of traditional authorization frameworks. Automation belongs to the mainstream, while purely crypto solutions pursuing autonomous asset management face "paradigm" differences.
The exploring crypto autonomy solutions are taking the route of "decentralized custody + on-chain verification," including AI Agents managing assets, AI Agents autonomously trading (DeFAI), AI Agents with digital identities and on-chain supplementary systems (ERC-8004…), AI Agent on-chain governance DAO frameworks, AI Agent NPCs, and digital avatars, among many other interesting directions.
Ultimately, as users become accustomed to AI agent payments in traditional fields, their acceptance of AI agents autonomously managing digital assets will increase. Meanwhile, scenarios involving anonymous transactions, censorship-resistant payments, and centralized asset management—areas that AP2 cannot circumvent—will eventually see crypto solutions shine.
The two are more likely to be complementary, but to be frank, the key technological advancements for AI Agents currently stem from web2AI, while web3AI still has a long way to go!
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