Erik Reppel, head of engineering at Coinbase Developer Platform, predicts that AI agents could disrupt the current ad-driven web economy. Speaking at Consensus Miami 2026, Reppel highlighted that AI agents bypass traditional advertising models, potentially shifting the internet towards monetization through stablecoin-powered micropayments. He introduced x402, a payments protocol designed to facilitate automatic payments by AI agents, as a solution for this emerging "agentic economy." Reppel anticipates this sector could grow to $3-$5 trillion within four years, positioning blockchain payments as key infrastructure for AI-driven commerce.