Bryan Pellegrino on Building the Crypto Rails for AI Agents

In this episode of The People’s AI, presented by Vana, we sit down with Bryan Pellegrino, CEO and co-founder of LayerZero Labs, to explore one of the most ambitious projects in decentralized infrastructure today. From a background as a top-ranked poker player to pioneering AI models for professional baseball teams, Bryan brings a unique perspective to the convergence of AI and blockchain. We unpack what it really means to build decentralized AI, focusing on the role of AI agents, blockchain messaging infrastructure, and crypto payment rails. Bryan explains how LayerZero functions like a TCP/IP protocol for blockchain — enabling seamless cross-chain communication and asset transfers at near-zero cost. We also dive deep into critical issues such as: • Whether AI agents need their own wallets or share infrastructure with humans • The future of micro-payments in AI systems • The challenge of hallucination in AI versus irreversibility in blockchain transactions • The potential for user-owned data to power transparent and sovereign AI development LayerZero is already powering over $100B in asset flows across chains, and Bryan argues that AI-driven transactions may soon surpass human volume. If you’re interested in the architecture of decentralized intelligence, this episode offers an inside view. About Vana: Vana's vision is for user-owned AI through user owned-data. Its mission is to be the world's first open protocol for data sovereignty. https://linktr.ee/vanahq Vana on Twitter/X: https://x.com/vana Vana ecosystem: vana.com The People's AI on Twitter/X: https://x.com/The_Peoples_AI Subscribe to The People's AI on YouTube: / @the_peoples_ai Jeff Wilser on Twitter/X: https://x.com/jeffwilser