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AI agents have been a hot topic in Web3 circles for some time now, sparking one of the most ambitious narratives in crypto: the dream of autonomous, intelligent entities managing capital, risk, and strategy across decentralised protocols. These systems, it was said, would not only outperform humans at execution, but also liberate users from the constant monitoring and micromanagement of their digital assets.

At the height of this excitement, bold predictions began shaping this narrative; “within 1 year, the majority of all DeFi TVL will be managed by AI Agents”.

But, as time passes, the buzz of this topic is giving way to reality, especially if the current most popular AI agents are X profiles with a token. That’s not the grand vision for these agents. With their infrastructure still in its nascent or development stage, the concept of DeFi-native agents will remain abstract for only so long. The AI economy now sits in a holding pattern—waiting for the build to catch up to the narrative.

The Reality Of AI Agents

While the term “AI agent” has taken many forms, embedding these agents into blockchain environments seems to carry a particular charge—amplifying expectations. Over the past six months, it has become clear that the combination of AI Agents and Web3 has astronomical potential, but only if the sector can move past early speculation and build for long-term value for end-users, a vision shared by many.

Interestingly, early optimism was expressed by projects like Fetch in late 2023, who wrote:

“While their potential in various application domains is still being explored, agent-based systems truly represent an immense opportunity for both companies and people”.

It sparked the initial wave, but real use cases remained limited at that time. However, it demonstrates that this is far from a passing trend. It’s a subject of ongoing extensive research, showing that AI agents can reconstruct how value is created and distributed across decentralized systems.

AI Agent Variety

A handful of foundational projects—Giza, Axal, and Theoriq to name a few—are architecting the primitives for agent-dedicated infrastructure in DeFi, each with a distinct approach.

Giza is advancing verifiable on-chain inference through zero-knowledge machine learning, enabling agents to act with cryptographic accountability. Axal prioritises execution integrity, developing systems for runtime verification and constraint enforcement. Theoriq, by contrast, explores decentralized intelligence through AI swarms—simulated collectives of agents coordinating within shared environments. This goes to show how multidimensional this space has become.

Interestingly, this also addresses a growing issue in DeFi: the fragmentation of AI agents. Handling token swaps, yield strategies, or cross-chain bridging often operates in isolation, with little to no coordination between them. The result is a disjointed user experience that’s difficult to navigate and scale.

This fragmented environment creates inefficiencies and friction, particularly for users who juggle multiple platforms and blockchains. The proposed solution—Agentic DeFi—calls for intelligent agent swarms that can collaborate across tasks, chains, and user intents to deliver a unified experience.

Theoriq’s model gestures toward this future. By exploring AI swarms, which are simulated collectives of agents that share data and goals, we can establish a core architecture for agent ecosystems that don’t just act independently, but operate as synchronized systems.

Although ambitious, these initiatives are still in their early stages. Very few are operating at high thresholds, but we can already spot a product-market fit, with accomplishments, such as Giza, being one example.

Notably, each agent framework is solving a different layer of the same problem. This reflects a maturing space, where builders are no longer racing to replicate, but instead developing complementary solutions. All of these pieces must ultimately fit together to form a cohesive future.

Is Intelligence The Bottleneck?

There’s a growing consensus that the bottleneck isn’t intelligence—it’s oftentimes efficient infrastructure. For agents to operate resourcefully within DeFi, they must plug into modular environments that allow them to execute safely, adapt intelligently, and remain accountable to human-defined constraints. But plugging into the “money legos” is very high-level. How to do it to mitigate any risk and be cost-efficient–that’s the dilemma.

As one recent analysis noted, ”Without blockchain’s inherent transparency and security, there is no trusted foundation on which AI agents can build reliable interactions”.

What’s needed is a robust foundation of vault frameworks, risk engines, and liquidity systems—each enabling the agent to take actions with safeguards in place. Modules can define what agents are permitted to do with capital, just like risk modules help them assess uncertainty, and liquidity modules allow them to monitor the available liquidity and trigger redemptions if necessary.

DeFi-Ready AI Agents

The vision of agents running vaults, rebalancing portfolios, or participating in governance is achievable. And we’re getting there. But it won’t be reached through surface-level integrations or overpromised retail bots or memecoins. What you can take away from this is that agents don’t just need intelligence; they need infrastructure. Without DeFi frameworks for agents, dynamic risk controls, and composable liquidity tooling, the road might be rocky. They need interoperability, coordination, and modular environments designed to support dynamic, cross-functional behaviour.

That’s why differentiated approaches within AI agents matter. Giza’s verifiability layer, Axal’s runtime enforcement, and Theoriq’s coordinated swarms are not competing with each other. They’re complementary.

A Tesla Cybertruck owner believed Elon Musk’s claims that the Cybertruck would be able to “act as a boat” and “cross rivers”, and he got his $100,000 stuck because of it.

Elon Musk has often made claims about how Tesla vehicles could float and briefly serve as a boat in the past.

We have never been taken too seriously because Tesla’s warranty states something different about taking the vehicle into water.

However, the CEO doubled down on the claim specifically for the Cybertruck.

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Ahead of launching the production version of the Cybertruck, Musk claimed the vehicle would be “waterproof enough” to serve as a boat and cross rivers:

Cybertruck will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat, so it can cross rivers, lakes and even seas that aren’t too choppy.

The CEO added that the goal is for a Cybertruck to be able to cross the water between SpaceX’s Starbase and South Padre Island in Texas, which is about 360 meters (1,100 feet).

We have been taking the Cybertruck more seriously with water because we learned that Tesla built a ‘wade mode’ for the truck to be able to go into the water. Tesla says the mode increases the ride height to the max and temporarily “pressurizes the battery pack.”

The problem is that it is activated through the off-roading mode, which is not covered under Tesla’s warranty – so we are taking everything with a grain of salt.

Whenever Tesla’s warranty contradicts what Musk says, it is better to follow to the warranty.

A Tesla Cybertruck owner in Truckee, California, appears not to have received this sage advice since they activated the wade mode and attempted to get into the water.

The Cybertruck owner quickly got stuck. The local California Highway Patrol (CHP) shared some pictures of the aftermath (via Facebook):

CHP Truckee helped with the recovery and commented on the incident:

Cybertruck activated “Wade Mode”… and waded a bit too far… We’re all for testing boundaries… but maybe not the waterline. Remember folks, “Wade Mode” isn’t “Submarine Mode.” If your plans include exploring the great outdoors, make sure to know your limits and the terrain.

There’s no detail on the damage to the Cybertruck, if any.

As we recently reported, repair costs for the stainless steel electric pickup truck can increase rapidly.

This Cybertruck owner is also not the first one to get stuck in water. We previously reported on a Tesla Cybertruck sinking into the water when launching a jet ski.

Electrek’s Take

At the risk of stating the obvious, this is clearly more of a user error than a Cybertruck problem.

I think the verdict is clear: Cybertruck is far from the best electric pickup truck for off-roading.

However, in general, you shouldn’t expect a truck to get out of water on a muddy bank.

I think a lot of Cybertruck owners are new to trucking and off-roading, and they are making the truck look worse than it is at off-roading.

If you want to take your Cybertruck off-road, I recommend to first go with an off-roading guide that can help avoid some simple mistakes like this.

Also, in general, don’t take Elon Musk’s claims at face value when he says that Tesla vehicles can do something that sounds like an exaggeration. It probably is an exaggeration.

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As of market close on April 22, each “Magnificent Seven” stock has a negative price return in 2025. Among this cohort of megacap technology stocks, Microsoft (MSFT 1.21%) and Meta Platforms (META 2.65%) have dropped by the least amounts — falling by 13% and 14.5%, respectively.

Both companies are set to report earnings for the first calendar quarter of 2025 on April 30. Let’s explore why Microsoft and Meta could be good buys right now, despite ongoing turbulence in the stock market.

Image source: Getty Images.

What road bumps could Microsoft and Meta face in the short term?

I can’t think of a bigger potential headwind for technology businesses right now outside of the new tariff policies. Both Microsoft and Meta are investing billions into AI infrastructure — from Nvidia chips to custom silicon engineering, data center buildouts, and more.

The details surrounding which items and raw materials are subject to tariffs are complex. I think it’s reasonable that both Microsoft and Meta could be looking at higher costs related to their AI infrastructure plans. In addition, it’s not entirely clear how corporations are planning for how tariffs could impact their business operations.

As a result, companies could be preparing to scale back spending in areas such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, or advertising — all of which would lead to decelerating sales for Microsoft and Meta. A slowing sales base coupled with rising prices would take a toll on profitability for each business.

One way to mitigate shrinking profits is for Microsoft and Meta to scale back their own AI capital expenditure plans. However, investors may not be encouraged by that choice since AI is the foundation of each company’s growth narrative right now. Slowing that down for the sake of near-term profitability may not sit well with investors.

Why I still like Microsoft for the long run

I see the ongoing sell-off across the tech sector as an opportunity to buy the dip in high-quality names. Right now, Microsoft’s forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 28 is slightly below the company’s three-year average.

MSFT PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts

Even though IT budgets could be operating under tighter controls for the time being, I tend to think that businesses are going to identify cost savings in areas outside of mission-critical infrastructure such as cloud computing and cybersecurity software.

Although I’m not expecting a monster quarter from Microsoft next week, I remain cautiously optimistic that cloud growth from Windows Azure will show some signs of resilience. When you complement this with Microsoft’s diversified ecosystem that includes personal computing, social media (LinkedIn), gaming, and more, I see Microsoft as a business that is relatively insulated from a possible economic slowdown caused by the tariff environment.

Why I still like Meta for the long run

On the surface, you might think that Meta is facing outsized pressure compared to its peers given the company really only has two sources of growth: advertising and the metaverse. Candidly, the company’s metaverse ambitions are far from reaching widespread scale or profitability, and the digital advertising landscape is packed with competition from the likes of Alphabet, TikTok, and Snap, just to name a few. With that said, I think these are surface-level arguments.

Meta’s relative price resilience compared to its Magnificent Seven peers could suggest that investors are less worried about the company’s growth prospects. I think this makes sense, too. I don’t see tariffs having much of an impact on Meta’s business overall. Similar to Microsoft, the company could witness a brief slowdown in revenue growth, but I don’t think it will be detrimental.

With leading platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram in its ecosystem, Meta is in a lucrative position to continue monetizing its billions of users — especially as AI tailwinds unlock new opportunities in the consumer market.

META PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts

As of this writing, Meta is trading right in line with its three-year average forward P/E. Considering the company has made huge strides in the world of AI to help diversify the business over the last three years, it would appear that investors aren’t applying much value to this potential growth right now.

Remember to think long term

The big thing investors should keep in mind is that these tariff policies could change at any time. Moreover, even if trade negotiations with other countries linger to the point of an economic slowdown, such a cycle won’t last forever.

In the meantime, investors are continuing to sell off growth stocks given all of the uncertainty in the market right now. In my eyes, Microsoft and Meta are trading for reasonable valuations and I think investors should take advantage, buy the dip while it lasts, and prepare to hold on for the long term.

As of market close on April 22, each “Magnificent Seven” stock has a negative price return in 2025. Among this cohort of megacap technology stocks, Microsoft (MSFT 1.21%) and Meta Platforms (META 2.65%) have dropped by the least amounts — falling by 13% and 14.5%, respectively.

Both companies are set to report earnings for the first calendar quarter of 2025 on April 30. Let’s explore why Microsoft and Meta could be good buys right now, despite ongoing turbulence in the stock market.

Image source: Getty Images.

What road bumps could Microsoft and Meta face in the short term?

I can’t think of a bigger potential headwind for technology businesses right now outside of the new tariff policies. Both Microsoft and Meta are investing billions into AI infrastructure — from Nvidia chips to custom silicon engineering, data center buildouts, and more.

The details surrounding which items and raw materials are subject to tariffs are complex. I think it’s reasonable that both Microsoft and Meta could be looking at higher costs related to their AI infrastructure plans. In addition, it’s not entirely clear how corporations are planning for how tariffs could impact their business operations.

As a result, companies could be preparing to scale back spending in areas such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, or advertising — all of which would lead to decelerating sales for Microsoft and Meta. A slowing sales base coupled with rising prices would take a toll on profitability for each business.

One way to mitigate shrinking profits is for Microsoft and Meta to scale back their own AI capital expenditure plans. However, investors may not be encouraged by that choice since AI is the foundation of each company’s growth narrative right now. Slowing that down for the sake of near-term profitability may not sit well with investors.

Why I still like Microsoft for the long run

I see the ongoing sell-off across the tech sector as an opportunity to buy the dip in high-quality names. Right now, Microsoft’s forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 28 is slightly below the company’s three-year average.

MSFT PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts

Even though IT budgets could be operating under tighter controls for the time being, I tend to think that businesses are going to identify cost savings in areas outside of mission-critical infrastructure such as cloud computing and cybersecurity software.

Although I’m not expecting a monster quarter from Microsoft next week, I remain cautiously optimistic that cloud growth from Windows Azure will show some signs of resilience. When you complement this with Microsoft’s diversified ecosystem that includes personal computing, social media (LinkedIn), gaming, and more, I see Microsoft as a business that is relatively insulated from a possible economic slowdown caused by the tariff environment.

Why I still like Meta for the long run

On the surface, you might think that Meta is facing outsized pressure compared to its peers given the company really only has two sources of growth: advertising and the metaverse. Candidly, the company’s metaverse ambitions are far from reaching widespread scale or profitability, and the digital advertising landscape is packed with competition from the likes of Alphabet, TikTok, and Snap, just to name a few. With that said, I think these are surface-level arguments.

Meta’s relative price resilience compared to its Magnificent Seven peers could suggest that investors are less worried about the company’s growth prospects. I think this makes sense, too. I don’t see tariffs having much of an impact on Meta’s business overall. Similar to Microsoft, the company could witness a brief slowdown in revenue growth, but I don’t think it will be detrimental.

With leading platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram in its ecosystem, Meta is in a lucrative position to continue monetizing its billions of users — especially as AI tailwinds unlock new opportunities in the consumer market.

META PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts

As of this writing, Meta is trading right in line with its three-year average forward P/E. Considering the company has made huge strides in the world of AI to help diversify the business over the last three years, it would appear that investors aren’t applying much value to this potential growth right now.

Remember to think long term

The big thing investors should keep in mind is that these tariff policies could change at any time. Moreover, even if trade negotiations with other countries linger to the point of an economic slowdown, such a cycle won’t last forever.

In the meantime, investors are continuing to sell off growth stocks given all of the uncertainty in the market right now. In my eyes, Microsoft and Meta are trading for reasonable valuations and I think investors should take advantage, buy the dip while it lasts, and prepare to hold on for the long term.

We recently published a list of Why These 10 Firms Recorded Double-Digit Gains Last Week. In this article, we are going to take a look at where SoundHound AI Inc. (NASDAQ:SOUN) stands against other firms that recorded double-digit gains last week.

Ten companies finished the past trading week on a high note, outperforming the three major indices with double-digit gains amid a flurry of catalysts, including upcoming earnings releases, that sparked buying appetite.

Week-on-week, the Nasdaq rallied by 6.7 percent, the S&P 500 clocked in a 4.59-percent gain, while the Dow Jones was up by 2.48 percent.

In this article, we have listed last week’s top 10 performing stocks and detailed the reasons behind their gains. The stocks were chosen based on the highest percentage increase in closing prices on April 25 as against their prices on April 17, or the week prior.

To come up with the list, we considered only the companies with a $2-billion market capitalization and a $5-million trading volume.

A software engineer focused on a computer screen, writing code to create a conversational assistant.

SoundHound AI Inc. (NASDAQ:SOUN)

SoundHound AI jumped by 21.7 percent week-on-week to close Friday’s trading at $9.52 apiece versus the $7.82 finish on April 17 as investors cheered news that it partnered with Tencent Intelligent Mobility to enhance the latter’s cloud-based solutions for the automotive industry.

In a statement, SoundHound AI Inc. (NASDAQ:SOUN) said that Tencent is working on integrating SoundHound Chat AI Automotive to give drivers and passengers access to a range of applications, car controls, and entertainment domains just through natural speech.

SoundHound AI Inc.’s (NASDAQ:SOUN) conversational voice intelligence is capable of handling complex conversational questions and intelligently filtering responses to ensure users get relevant and useful responses.

“The collaboration will enable Tencent Intelligent Mobility to deliver dynamic, localized user experiences to automotive players across geographies that are looking to provide end users with seamless hands-free access to a range of in-vehicle applications,” it said.

Overall, SOUN ranks 7th on our list of firms that recorded double-digit gains last week. While we acknowledge the potential of SOUN as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than SOUN but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

If you’re a sports fan, April is a smorgasbord.

Baseball is back. The NBA playoffs are in full swing. The NFL draft is turning college stars into household names. Even bowling is rolling into the digital age (although it still can’t quite command the couch the way football does).

But here’s the real headline: Artificial intelligence isn’t just in the owner’s box. It’s now in the dugout, on the field, in your running shoes, and even in your local bowling alley. AI and edge computing have become the ultimate utility players, reshaping how pros compete, how fans watch, and how weekend warriors chase their own personal bests.

Football

AI’s influence on football is as pervasive as a well-executed zone defense. Today’s NFL teams deploy AI-powered sensors in helmets and pads, collecting granular data on player movement and collisions. Machine learning models analyze this information to optimize training, minimize injury risk, and suggest play calls based on real-time opponent tendencies. On the sidelines, AI sifts through mountains of game film, helping coaches anticipate rival strategies and adjust in the heat of battle. For fans, AI overlays in broadcasts provide instant statistical insights and predictive analytics, transforming the viewing experience from passive to interactive.

Soccer

The world’s game has embraced AI for everything from scouting to tactics. Clubs use AI-driven video analysis to break down thousands of hours of match footage, identifying emerging talent and subtle tactical patterns. Wearable tech tracks player stamina and positioning, while edge computing enables instant feedback on the pitch. AI-powered apps like AiScout let young players upload their drills for algorithmic evaluation, democratizing access to elite-level scouting and opening new doors for aspiring stars. On match day, AI-enhanced camera systems automate offside calls and track ball movement, improving officiating accuracy and reducing controversy.

Baseball

Tradition? Pinstripes? Baseball has become a playground for AI innovation. Teams employ data scientists to simulate every conceivable pitcher-batter matchup, using deep learning to forecast outcomes and tailor training regimens. AI models monitor player mechanics and workloads, flagging potential injury risks before they sideline a star. In the broadcast booth, AI-driven highlight generators serve up instant replays and personalized content, keeping fans engaged inning by inning. The sport’s embrace of AI doesn’t come without ethical dilemmas — data privacy and competitive balance are now as much a part of the conversation as batting averages and ERA.

Bowling

And then there’s bowling, which has quietly undergone a digital transformation. AI devices now power real-time scoring and deliver instant feedback on ball speed, spin and trajectory. Systems like Gemini AI offer personalized coaching tips and even generate dynamic commentary, making the bowling alley a hub of data-driven improvement. Verified remote competitions and global leaderboards connect bowlers worldwide, turning a local pastime into a global digital sport.

Running

Mobile apps equipped with computer vision and biomechanics algorithms analyze a runner’s gait, posture and stride, offering personalized drills to improve efficiency and reduce injury risk. AI-driven coaching platforms adapt training plans on the fly, responding to fatigue, weather and performance data in real time. Wearable devices process data at the edge, delivering instant feedback without the need for cloud connectivity — a boon for runners pounding the pavement in parks or on remote trails.

Tennis

Systems like PlaySight and SmartCourt analyze every shot, spin and movement, providing players and coaches with actionable insights during matches. AI-powered virtual coaches offer feedback on technique and tactics, making elite-level analysis accessible to club players and juniors. Automated line-calling systems like Hawk-Eye have largely eliminated human error, while AI-enhanced broadcasts deliver real-time stats and predictive analytics to fans worldwide.

Aerobics

Smart mirrors and fitness apps now use AI-powered motion tracking to assess form, count reps and provide instant corrections during workouts. These systems adapt routines based on individual progress, fatigue and goals, offering a level of personalization once reserved for private trainers. Edge computing ensures that feedback is delivered instantly, keeping participants motivated and engaged. AI-driven platforms also enable virtual group classes, where participants receive real-time encouragement and performance analytics, turning solitary workouts into interactive, community-driven experiences.

The Bottom Line

Across these seven sports, AI has become the silent MVP, analyzing data, optimizing performance, preventing injuries and enhancing the fan experience. Whether you’re chasing a championship, a personal best or just a little fun at the bowling alley, the digital revolution is here, and it’s making every game smarter, safer and more exciting. So next time you tune in or lace up, remember: The future of sports isn’t just on the field; it’s in the algorithms running quietly behind the scenes.

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