Artificial intelligence has revolutionized many industries, and the same question arises everywhere: will it replace humans? In cryptocurrencies, its impact has long been visible: from AI-assisted trading bots to trading agent systems.
However, Alex Svanevik, CEO and co-founder of Nansen, claims that AI is not a replacement for human judgment, but rather its support. In an exclusive interview with BeInCrypto, Svanevik discusses this shift in detail and anticipates what lies ahead for AI-based analysis.
Artificial intelligence in crypto: Nansen's CEO argues for assistance, not replacement
On January 21, Nansen announced the launch of its AI-supported on-chain trading functionality. This marks a significant shift from a platform for pure analysis to an integrated product that provides both insights and the ability to act.
Based on a proprietary dataset covering over 500 million labeled wallets, the new solution enables users to manage portfolios, interpret on-chain signals in real-time, and receive data-backed suggestions. Additionally, it allows for direct transaction execution within Nansen. The announcement reads:
“Trained and evaluated on Nansen's proprietary dataset, Nansen AI consistently outperforms leading AI products in tests designed for on-chain analysis and trading. This ensures that the insights provided are not only more accurate but also directly useful for traders/investors, turning agent intelligence into a practical trading advantage.”
Additionally, the premiere opens up a possibility that Nansen calls “vibe trading.” He describes it as a more intuitive way of moving from conclusion to execution of on-chain transactions without the need to change tools.
As AI takes on more and more analytical work, the role of analysts remains open. Svanevik says AI excels at scaling analyses — it can analyze hundreds of millions of wallets, track cross-chain flows, and recognize patterns unattainable for humans.
However, he stressed that the decision always lies with the user, who guides the process by asking the right questions and accepting actions:
“The boundary is not fixed. It shifts with the development of AI and the enrichment of on-chain data. But the goal is not to replace judgment. It’s about freeing people from tedious tasks so they can focus on higher-order decisions.”
Why is analysis credible in the crypto market with a dominance of AI?
Research suggests that increasing reliance on AI tools may lead to a decline in critical thinking skills. In the cryptocurrency market, where traders must navigate enormous volatility and high risk, the risk is even greater.
Svanevik presented a different perspective. He stated that “good AI” presents more signals, which requires users to think more critically about execution, not less:
„Real systemic risk arises when everyone uses the same scheme. This does not apply solely to AI — the same happens with human analysts. The answer is diversity: different models, different strategies, different interpretations of data. That's why we build tools that support individual decisions, rather than a single oracle for all.”
The manager emphasized that one should not blindly trust either AI or analysts. What matters is whether the analysis consistently performs well over the long term.
When asked about credibility in a market dominated by AI, the CEO pointed out:
“Credibility in the AI era comes from measurement and repeatability, not from names or reach on social media. AI provides an advantage because it can be tested on a large scale and against reality — something an individual cannot do.”
Svanevik emphasized that the simplest test is practical. According to him, users should ask themselves important questions and evaluate whether the answers are reasonable, useful, and actionable. He also noted that users typically best evaluate quality.
“In the longer term, trust will shift from individual analysts to platforms that continually prove they catch signals and reduce noise. We are striving for that standard.”
Why can artificial intelligence analyze on-chain data, but cannot replace human judgment?
Human analysts often make trading decisions by combining on-chain metrics, price data, and other signals based on judgment and context. AI, on the other hand, relies solely on patterns learned from historical data.
When asked whether AI might develop a similar judgment in the future, Svanevik admitted that this is likely, though not in the human sense.
He explained that AI will develop its own form of contextual reasoning. According to him, AI can more effectively integrate live data from a much larger number of variables than any human can:
“The path leads through better training data, longer context windows, and feedback loops from tracked execution. We already see this in our agent. It’s not just about pattern recognition — AI infers based on real-time behavioral data. This is an early stage of judgment. The more refined the models are and the more we draw from the experiences of millions of on-chain interactions, the sharper this judgment will become.”
However, he noted that there is one aspect of on-chain analysis that AI will never fully replace: taking responsibility for decisions under conditions of uncertainty.
Svanevik notes that AI can catch patterns, probabilities, and potential scenarios and assess what has happened or may happen based on the data. However, it cannot determine personal risk tolerance, values, or take responsibility for decisions if the outcome turns out negative.
“On-chain analysis ultimately leads to real actions: capital allocation, team support, public forecasts. Someone must take responsibility for these decisions. That’s the role of humans.”
He emphasized that regardless of the sophistication of AI models, credibility will always depend on humans in matters of assessment, responsibility, and beliefs. AI can support decision-making, but ultimately, it is humans who decide and bear the consequences.
“Assessing what is important. Artificial intelligence will tell you what is happening on-chain, but it will not tell you what you should care about. That is taste. Those are beliefs. That is human.”
Ultimately, Svanevik sees artificial intelligence as a powerful support, not a decision-maker. AI can uncover patterns, probabilities, and conclusions on a massive scale. However, human judgment remains crucial in matters of risk, responsibility, and beliefs.
As the importance of AI-based analyses grows, trust will increasingly rely on platforms that continuously demonstrate the quality of their analyses. At the same time, it is humans who are responsible for what is important and for the consequences of decisions made.
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