Crypto’s AI push stalls without a ‘ChatGPT moment,’ Justin Sun says

Crypto billionaire Justin Sun says crypto’s next breakout may come from artificial intelligence (AI), posting Tuesday on X that he is all-in on AI, but the industry has not yet produced a product that resonates with consumers.

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In an interview with CoinDesk before Consensus Hong Kong 2026, the Tron founder argued that most AI-linked tokens remain conceptual rather than functional.

While investors frequently cite AI as the next catalyst for digital assets, Sun said the sector lacks the equivalent of a “ChatGPT moment” — a consumer-facing application that clearly demonstrates value.

Until that happens, he said, excitement alone is unlikely to drive a sustained market cycle, leaving crypto reliant on progress in payments, settlement, and other proven use cases.

“For most of the AI tokens, it’s only a concept,” Sun said in Hong Kong. “It’s not really hitting the point yet.”

Sun nonetheless maintained that the convergence of AI and blockchain remains one of the most promising long-term directions for the industry, particularly if developers can produce tools that feel immediately useful rather than experimental.

In the meantime, Sun said the industry’s most dependable momentum continues to come from areas that already show consistent demand, particularly stablecoins and cross-border payments.

In parts of the global south where locals simply don’t trust inflation-ravaged currencies, USDT on Tron is a lifeline for financial access. As Tether founder Paolo Ardoino highlighted last summer, in countries like Bolivia, high-end imports are paid for in USDT.

“[With blockchain it’s] first time in the world we have this kind of digital dollar settlement, where you can transfer the money everywhere, 24/7,” Sun said.

Until a consumer AI product delivers the same clarity stablecoins already provide, crypto’s most visible progress will likely remain in the infrastructure quietly underpinning everyday transactions.