The first wave of artificial intelligence made software more capable. The next wave gives software agency: the ability to plan, transact, operate machines, and coordinate with other systems.
That changes the shape of the technology story. AI agents, robotics, compute, and programmable money are no longer separate categories. Together, they are becoming infrastructure.
The autonomous economy begins when intelligence can act, machines can respond, and money can move in the same loop.
The convergence
Agents are gaining access to tools and payment rails. Machines are becoming easier to orchestrate through software. Stablecoins are making internet-native settlement practical. Each layer accelerates the others.
The important companies in this cycle may not fit familiar categories. Phase follows the systems they are assembling—and the economic shifts that follow.