Franklin Templeton predicts AI-powered social media shift

AI agents are making headway in the cryptocurrency and social media sectors, supported by a report that envisions a future where autonomous entities transform the digital realm.

The investment management giant recently published a report in early 2025, examining the increasing significance of artificial intelligence agents. This term refers to advanced software entities crafted to autonomously carry out both straightforward and intricate tasks using AI technology.

The report highlights that AI agents emerge from a synergy of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology. They are already in use across platforms such as Solana (SOL) and Ethereum (ETH). The sector is still in its infancy, presenting substantial opportunities for early-stage investors.

“We anticipate a future where AI agents could revolutionize content creation on social media and play crucial roles across diverse industries and platforms. Similar to today’s human influencers, these agents may establish their own brands, products, music, films, and more, contributing considerable economic value within their ecosystems.”

Essentially, the report suggests that the distinction between human-generated and AI-generated content is increasingly fading, heralding a new era filled with potential.

AI agents, often referred to as agentic AI, are defined as artificial intelligence systems designed to operate autonomously without human oversight, representing users, organizations, companies, or other entities. Unlike traditional algorithms, these digital agents can analyze data, pursue objectives, and modify their strategies in real-time.

One domain seeing immediate effects from AI agents is social media. These agents are changing the landscape of content creation, distribution, and consumption. They can manage influencer accounts, interact with audiences, and produce media content at an unparalleled scale. For instance, AI-driven digital influencers can curate updates, respond to comments within seconds, and even host live sessions—all without the continual need for human oversight, as they execute specific directives effortlessly.

Moreover, AI agents can integrate seamlessly with blockchain networks, enabling them to own digital assets, execute transactions, and verify the authenticity of content. This integration is paving the way for a new era of decentralized, AI-driven media platforms where businesses of all sizes can harness the power of digital influencers, brand ambassadors, and personas.

The influencer marketing economy has surged more than threefold since 2020 and is projected to become a $33 billion industry by 2025. Nevertheless, it faces numerous challenges, including rising production costs, fluctuating engagement levels, and notably, user fatigue.

Traditionally, companies pour hundreds of thousands of dollars and invest weeks of effort into creating human avatars. One company offers a groundbreaking alternative. By utilizing its proprietary AI technology, brands can roll out AI-powered digital humans in just hours at a fraction of the cost, starting from $100 per avatar. These digital personas also eliminate costly production cycles and ongoing management, facilitating rapid content creation while ensuring consistent audience engagement.

This company aids users in designing AI agents that can:

• Create content: Automatically produce and post videos, social media updates, and live streams based on set themes.
• Engage audiences: Interact with users, respond to comments, and host Q&A sessions, emulating the behavior of human influencers while accurately representing the brand.
• Promote brands: Act as brand ambassadors by launching products, hosting virtual events, and participating in digital advertising campaigns.
• Monetize engagement: Generate revenue through NFT sales, tokenized promotions, and partnerships.

Additionally, these hyper-realistic human avatars extend beyond social media, with applications across various sectors, particularly in content creation, entertainment, marketing, education, healthcare, and customer support.

The team’s expertise and creative vision have been demonstrated in significant projects like Game of Thrones and World of Tanks, attracting the attention of notable brands such as Warner Bros, EA Sports, and HBO.

Fully customizable and multilingual, these digital personas operate continuously without the typical challenges associated with human workers. They are entirely scalable and under the full control of the organizations or individuals utilizing them.

An essential aspect of this model is its blockchain-supported token economy. Currently in the initial distribution phase, the token is priced at $0.087, a 38% discount from the forthcoming Token Generation Event price of $0.14. Out of a total of 7.69 million tokens, 7.429 million have already been sold, indicating that early adopters are swiftly acquiring tokens at the lower rate.

This token is crucial for facilitating transactions, interactions, and governance on the platform, ensuring that AI agents are perceived not just as digital entities but as valuable assets.

The token also secures complete ownership rights over digital creations. Each digital human comes with an identity system backed by NFTs, linking every avatar to an NFT passport that certifies authenticity and ownership.

This guarantees that creators retain full intellectual property rights, allowing them to securely buy, sell, license, or rent out AI characters. By incorporating tokenized ownership, the platform fosters a decentralized marketplace where brands, creators, and audiences can exchange avatars as productivity tools or valuable digital assets.

Furthermore, tokens can be utilized for character enhancements, enabling users to elevate various attributes of their digital personas, including appearance, voice modulation, animation quality, and interactive features.

Tokens are also applicable for subscription plans, marketplace transactions, promotional boosts, and NFT bidding. Additionally, staking options are available, with multiple tiers enabling token holders to increase their earnings over time.

AiXBT: An AI-focused crypto bot

AiXBT is an AI-enhanced social media account, specializing in analyzing the crypto market. This bot acts as an automated content aggregator but does not qualify as a conventional influencer. Utilizing the Virtuals Protocol, it scans posts from influential and reliable crypto accounts on X, sharing insights in the form of market analysis, price updates, and industry news.

AiXBT illustrates the potential reach of AI bots, having generated more than 100,000 posts on X within its initial months. Its coverage spans a range of topics from Bitcoin price trends to lesser-known token launches, attracting over 430,000 followers.

Powered by its AIXBT token, which once achieved a market cap exceeding $500 million, the token has faced selling pressure and a damaging security breach, leading to a current value around $85 million. The decline in market value coincided with a broader market downturn and possibly the rise of more robust projects. It’s important to note that AiXBT does not generate original insights or engage in extensive discussions; rather, it simply aggregates existing narratives.

Anita AI: A virtual AI content creator

Anita AI is emerging as a virtual influencer notable for its interactive social media engagement and innovative governance structure. Created to engage with followers and produce content, Anita primarily operates as a programmed AI assistant, responding to prompts on platforms like X and Instagram as well as on podcasts. Unlike competing AI bots, her interactions are entirely algorithm-based, where content follows predefined patterns rather than deriving from personal insight.

Anita AI features a wide range of content, including Instagram posts centered on generic lifestyle topics, motivational messages, and AI-generated selfies that mimic typical influencer behavior. Consequently, Anita AI represents an early integration of AI into influencer marketing, rather than a groundbreaking development in social media interaction.

The ANITA token is a part of a governance framework where Anita serves as a symbolic figurehead. Launched on the Solana blockchain, it operates similarly to a basic decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), allowing both AI and human participants to influence the project’s trajectory.

Conclusion: the future is now

The emergence of AI agents signifies a notable shift in our engagement with social media and digital life.

As the analysis suggests, these AI-driven agents are set to transform content creation, where full autonomy and limitless scalability become attainable: “Although these agents are not yet fully autonomous and maintain limited utility in their current state, this emerging sector holds significant potential worth monitoring as it develops and matures.”

Social media platforms are increasingly populated by a blend of human and AI-generated content. As AI technology progresses, distinguishing between these two types of content may become increasingly challenging.