Coinbase Builds AI Agents to Support Staff and Planning

Brian Armstrong shared that two early agents, named “Fred” and “Balaji” after former Coinbase executives, have different functions, with one focused on executive-style guidance and the other on innovation and long-term projects. Armstrong said staff may soon be able to create custom agents for their own teams, and future versions could develop unique identities rather than replicate real people. 

Coinbase Tests AI Agents

Coinbase is experimenting with a new internal use of artificial intelligence by deploying AI-powered agents into workplace communication tools like Slack and email. According to Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, these agents are being designed to function like human teammates, which allows employees to interact with them for guidance, strategy support, and creative collaboration. 

Armstrong revealed that two of the early AI agents are named “Fred” and “Balaji,” and they are inspired by former Coinbase leaders Fred Ehrsam and Balaji Srinivasan. 

Each agent has been given a distinct role based on the qualities associated with those individuals. “Fred” is described as a strategic executive-style assistant that can help staff review documents, improve ideas, provide feedback on plans, and assist with high-level thinking. Its purpose is helping employees sharpen decision-making and refine business strategies.

The second agent, “Balaji,” is an “agent of chaos and creativity.” This agent is intended to support long-term projects, innovation, and exploratory thinking. Rather than simply optimizing existing work, it may help teams challenge assumptions, generate fresh concepts, and think beyond immediate constraints.

Armstrong also suggested that Coinbase’s internal AI systems could expand in the future. He stated that employees may soon be able to create customized agents for themselves or for their teams with ease. He even speculated that the number of AI agents inside the company could eventually exceed the number of human employees. 

At the same time, Armstrong acknowledged that future versions of these tools may evolve beyond just being digital copies of real people. He believes that employee agents should develop their own identities rather than simply acting as replicas of former executives. 

The company’s interest in AI is not limited to internal communications. Earlier this year, Coinbase introduced “Agentic Wallets,” that allow AI agents to independently hold assets, make payments, trade tokens, earn yield, and complete on-chain transactions. These wallets are tied to Coinbase’s x402 protocol, which is being developed to support autonomous crypto payments without direct human involvement.