In this episode of the 0g Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Steven Waterhouse, early crypto pioneer, Pantera founding partner, and AI investor, to break down why he believes crypto is dead and why AI is the new base case for innovation.

We explore how the Ethereum ecosystem has changed, why crypto is increasingly just finance, and how the real action is now in AI infrastructure. Dr. Waterhouse shares insights from his investments in AI middleware, decentralized compute, and next-gen agent economies, explaining why the future isn’t "crypto AI"—it’s AI, with crypto in the backend.

Expect hard takes on the AI hype cycle, the limitations of DeFi, and why most AI agents today are just “Twitter bots with wallets.” If you’re wondering where value will accrue in AI, whether Deep Infra is viable, or how crypto and AI actually intersect, this is the episode for you.

📌 Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Steven Waterhouse & His Crypto Journey

02:29 Why Crypto Feels “Dead” & The Shift to AI

04:21 The Only Two Crypto Use Cases Left: Finance & AI

07:14 Ethereum’s Evolution: Linux vs. Android Comparison

08:45 Are AI Agents Just Twitter Bots with Wallets?

11:20 AI Compute & Bootstrapping Deep Infra with Crypto

12:37 The Challenges of Deep Infra Token Models

15:17 Where Will AI Value Accrue? Compute, Middleware, or Models?

18:04 The Death of Apps & The Rise of AI Agents

20:38 Why AI Needs Crypto for Trust, Coordination & Verification

24:21 AI Will Replace SaaS: The Future of Middleware

27:34 What’s the Next Big AI-Driven Business Model?

30:02 The Need for Real Product-Market Fit in Crypto AI

31:45 Where to Find Dr. Steven Waterhouse & Closing Thoughts

About 0G:

0G (ZeroGravity) is the first decentralized AI operating system, designed to bring AI onchain at an unprecedented scale. By enabling nearly infinite scalability for decentralized AI, 0G ensures trustless, verifiable, and high-performance data storage solutions for AI models. Their architecture supports 50 Gbps data throughput, positioning 0G as a leader in the decentralized AI space, with partnerships across Web3’s top ecosystems including Polygon, Arbitrum, and more.

0G’s infrastructure not only boosts performance and scalability but also dramatically lowers costs, making it ideal for onchain AI applications, DeFi protocols, gaming, and beyond. This episode is essential for anyone passionate about the future of AI, blockchain, and decentralized technologies reshaping the digital landscape.

Connect with 0G:

Website: https://0g.ai/

Twitter: https://x.com/0G_labs

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/0g-labs 

⁠Connect with Today’s Guest:

Website: nazare.io

Twitter: x.com/deseventral

Company Twitter: x.com/nazarevc
Keywords:

0G, decentralized AI, AI storage network, data availability network, DA network, AI, blockchain, Web3, smart contracts, AI applications, AI data privacy, digital identity, machine learning, data sovereignty, AI agents, ZK proof, blockchain applications, privacy-preserving technology, AI integration, future of AI, AI autonomous agents, blockchain use cases, tech podcast