Two years ago, the phrase “AI changes productivity, Web3 changes the production relations” once ignited the passion of countless people. But looking back from today, two years later, the reality is filled with dark humor: AI has indeed been rapidly boosting productivity, but Web3, let alone changing the production relations, hasn't even touched the edges of those relations, and the very term has been forced back into the old shell of “Crypto.” This gap creates a strong contrast reminiscent of “Google and Baidu.”

01. AI’s GPA 4.0 vs Web3’s Error 404
AI is now rightly known as the “King of Competition,” with productivity improvements from text, images to code automation being swift and impactful, instantly raising GPA steadily to 4.0. In contrast, the grand narrative of Web3 has long since blurred. People initially expected it to reshape the underlying logic of the internet, but after two years, it more resembles a “24-hour global nonstop casino.” From a sci-fi vision like “Interstellar,” it has been forcibly transformed into “Gambling City,” and this sudden shift in tone makes the so-called “revolution in production relations” a painfully awkward cold joke.

02. Google’s Starry Ocean vs Baidu’s Small Realm
This contrast is very harsh: AI is like Google—despite controversy, it is genuinely pushing the boundaries of technology, trying to define the future in Silicon Valley labs. Web3 is like Baidu—guarding a pool of traffic and users, but seeking a sense of existence through self-repetition. Although lively, it always seems “a breath short” when it comes to a true paradigm shift.

03. Miners or Changing the World?
In this era where confidence is more precious than gold, what the crypto world lacks most is not liquidity, but a ceiling at the level of “blockchain + everything” that can once again rival AI. We need a singularity capable of elevating the entire industry’s water level, rather than merely being a global, endless playground. After all, the original intention of riding the wave of technology was to change the world in Silicon Valley, not just to be a professional miner in Las Vegas.