🌐 Tackling DAO Voter Apathy with AI
The Near Foundation is taking a bold step into the future of decentralized governance. Its team is developing AI-powered delegates, or “digital twins,” that could vote on behalf of members in DAOs.
The goal? To solve one of the biggest challenges in Web3 governance: low voter participation. Studies suggest only 15–25% of DAO members usually cast votes, leaving protocols vulnerable to poor decision-making and even governance attacks.
🧠 How the ‘Digital Twin’ Works
According to Lane Rettig, a Near researcher specializing in AI and governance, the digital twin will learn from user preferences, voting history, and even chat activity on platforms like Discord or Telegram.
Once trained, the AI agent can:
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Recommend how a user should vote 📊
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Act as a delegate for groups with shared interests
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Eventually, represent each individual DAO member
“Governance becomes a math problem,” Rettig explained. “With AI agents, votes could be counted instantly because the system already knows how members would decide.”
👩💻 Human Oversight Remains Key
Despite the innovation, Rettig stressed there will always be a human in the loop. Critical proposals, like fund allocations or strategy pivots, will still require final human approval.
The AI’s role is to nudge, suggest, and automate routine participation—not to replace members entirely.
🚀 Staged Rollout of AI Delegates
Near plans to deploy the technology in stages:
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Chatbot-like models with limited agency.
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Group delegates representing users with similar preferences.
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Personal digital twins for every DAO member.
The foundation already runs an AI tool called Pulse, which tracks community sentiment and summarizes discussions. The new delegates will expand this into full voting participation.
⚡ Why This Matters for Crypto Governance
If successful, Near’s AI-driven model could redefine DAO participation, making decentralized governance more efficient and secure.
VanEck estimates the number of AI agents in crypto will jump from 10,000 in 2024 to 1 million in 2025. Near’s move puts it ahead of the curve in blending AI + Web3 governance.
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