AI agents could threaten the foundation of online advertising

According to Evin McMullen, major technology companies are increasingly concerned that AI agents may eventually reduce the effectiveness of digital advertising.

McMullen argues that autonomous AI systems could become the primary users of many online services, making purchasing decisions, gathering information and completing transactions on behalf of humans.

If that happens at scale, the traditional advertising industry could face significant disruption.

The internet was built around human attention

Today's digital economy is heavily dependent on advertising revenue.

Companies such as Google and Meta generate hundreds of billions of dollars by capturing human attention and monetizing it through targeted advertising.

The model relies on users:

• viewing content
• clicking links
• browsing websites
• watching videos
• and interacting with advertisements

AI agents may fundamentally alter that behavior.

AI agents don't respond to advertising the way humans do

An autonomous AI agent designed to accomplish tasks efficiently has little reason to click banner ads, watch promotional videos or engage with marketing campaigns.

Instead, an agent might simply:

• compare products
• evaluate prices
• analyze reviews
• negotiate purchases
• and complete transactions

All without exposing the user to traditional advertising.

That possibility has raised concerns that some of the internet's largest business models could become less effective over time.

Other industry leaders have raised similar concerns

McMullen's view echoes concerns previously expressed by Charles Hoskinson and Stephanie Cohen.

The broader argument is that AI agents may eventually become the dominant interface between consumers and digital services.

Rather than browsing dozens of websites, users could increasingly delegate decision-making to intelligent software capable of finding optimal outcomes automatically.

That would represent a major shift in how information and commerce flow across the internet.

The impact could extend far beyond advertising

If AI agents become mainstream, the effects could reach well beyond digital marketing.

Potentially affected industries include:

• search engines
• e-commerce
• media
• online marketplaces
• travel booking
• financial services

Any business model built around attracting and monetizing human attention may need to adapt.

The shift could force companies to compete for inclusion in AI decision-making systems rather than traditional search rankings or ad placements.

Crypto and AI may converge

Some crypto industry participants believe blockchain infrastructure could play an important role in the emerging AI-agent economy.

Autonomous agents may require:

• digital payments
• programmable wallets
• identity systems
• machine-to-machine transactions
• and automated settlement infrastructure

These are areas where crypto networks and stablecoins could potentially provide supporting infrastructure.

That possibility has fueled growing interest in the intersection of AI and digital assets.

The transition is likely to be gradual

Despite the excitement, fully autonomous AI-driven commerce remains in its early stages.

Most consumers still make purchasing decisions themselves, and current AI systems remain far from replacing large portions of internet activity.

However, many technology leaders believe the trend is directionally clear.

As AI capabilities improve, software agents may increasingly handle routine digital tasks that currently require human attention.

Why this matters

This matters because digital advertising is one of the largest and most profitable industries in the world.

If AI agents significantly reduce the value of traditional advertising, it could force a major restructuring of how online businesses generate revenue.

The companies best positioned for an AI-agent future may be those that adapt their products, infrastructure and business models before the shift becomes mainstream.

The clean takeaway

Billions Network CEO Evin McMullen says major technology companies are worried that AI agents could eventually undermine the advertising-driven business models that power much of the internet. As autonomous software becomes more capable of making decisions and completing transactions, the value of human attention may begin shifting toward machine-driven commerce and information discovery.