Developers from Google, the Ethereum Foundation (EF), and the Coinbase exchange have introduced a new technical standard called ERC-8004, which is now operational on the Ethereum network.  

The proposal was developed by Marco De Rossi, artificial intelligence leader at the MetaMask wallet, together with Davide Crapis (EF), Jordan Ellis (Google) and Erik Reppel (Coinbase). 

In the Ethereum ecosystem, an ERC (Ethereum Request for Comment) is a technical specification that defines how certain components within the network, such as tokens or smart contracts, should function.  

ERC-8004 proposes a model for artificial intelligence (AI, programs that perform autonomous tasks) agents to find, evaluate, and collaborate without the need for prior trust between the parties. 

In this case, instead of a central authority validating participants, trust is established through three ledgers running on Ethereum, as outlined in the ERC-8004 whitepaper:

• An identity registry, based on the ERC-721 standard (the same one that defines non-fungible tokens or NFTs ), which gives each agent a unique and censorship-resistant identity. 

• A reputation registry, where agents publish and view reviews and scores, calculated both on-chain and off-chain, enabling the creation of specialized reputation, auditing, or insurance services. 

• A validation log, responsible for gathering external verification of each agent's work. These verifications may include re-work by other validators, the use of automated systems that confirm results through cryptographic proofs, or the review of trusted oracles and judges who act as auditors. 

A new trust framework between autonomous agents for Ethereum

The standard reviewed here also introduces a system of graduated trust models, adjustable according to the risk of each task performed by each AI application.  

For example, a simple interaction (such as ordering a pizza) would require a low level of security, while a medical diagnosis or a complex financial transaction would require additional validations. 

The goal of ERC-8004 is to enable an open AI agent economy, where machines can discover and cooperate with each other without relying on centralized platforms.  

This is intended to allow agents to perform tasks such as financial transactions, code reviews, or medical diagnoses autonomously, validating each other's identity, reputation, and results. 

Implications of Ethereum's new ERC-8004 standard

This proposal offers several potential benefits. These include the discovery of trusted agents, competency verification without prior interaction, reputation portability across platforms, and the scalability of validations based on risk level. 

For users and developers in the Ethereum ecosystem, ERC-8004 could serve as the basis for networks of decentralized agents capable of performing complex tasks on and off-chain, with varying degrees of trust and autonomy. 

Furthermore, it introduces a framework that combines transparency, verifiability, and privacy, without relying on a central entity to dictate the rules or control interaction.