According to AI News (@AINewsOfficial_), ERC-8004 is set to launch on mainnet on January 16th, introducing a foundational protocol for developing and deploying onchain AI agents. This standard enables the creation, management, and monetization of autonomous AI agents directly on blockchain networks, unlocking new business models such as decentralized marketplaces, protocol-based automation, and agent-to-agent transactions. The ERC-8004 protocol is expected to drive innovation in the AI sector by lowering integration barriers and enabling scalable, trustless collaboration between agents, potentially creating a robust digital economy that could rival traditional human-driven markets (Source: AI News, Dec 24, 2025).