Why are these “virtual colleagues” needed and how do they work? We explain in this article.
Crypto exchange Coinbase has begun testing artificial intelligence agents that integrate into corporate communication channels like Slack and email, acting as virtual colleagues.
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According to Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, the company has already deployed two AI agents named “Fred” and “Balaji.” They are modeled after former Coinbase executives—co-founder Fred Ehrsam and former CTO Balaji Srinivasan.
Roles of the AI Agents
Fred serves as a strategic executive agent. He helps employees refine documents, strategies, and concepts, providing high-level feedback.
Balaji is positioned as an “agent of chaos and creativity.” His task is to question conventional approaches and assist with long-term projects, stimulating innovation.
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Armstrong noted that soon any employee will be able to create new agents for themselves or their teams.
“I suspect we will have more agents than human employees at some point soon,” he wrote.
Coinbase’s AI Strategy
Testing AI agents continues Coinbase’s active integration of artificial intelligence. In February 2026, the company launched “Agentic Wallets”—wallets that allow AI agents to independently hold funds, send payments, trade tokens, and earn yield.
This development aligns with the x402 protocol, which Coinbase is developing for autonomous crypto payments without human involvement.
Armstrong previously stated that more than 50% of the company’s code should be written with AI assistance, and the entire team should become “AI-Native.”
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