Machine Economy

Definition ∞ The machine economy refers to a future economic system where autonomous machines and artificial intelligence agents conduct transactions and manage resources. In this paradigm, machines would act as independent economic actors, interacting with each other to fulfill tasks and exchange value. This concept envisions a new form of commerce driven by programmatic decision-making and automated execution. It represents a significant shift from human-centric economic models.
Context ∞ The current discourse on the machine economy is largely theoretical, exploring its potential implications for labor markets, resource allocation, and economic governance. Key debates revolve around the development of suitable protocols for machine-to-machine transactions and the ethical considerations of granting economic agency to non-human entities. A critical future development to watch for is the initial deployment of specialized autonomous agents capable of performing rudimentary economic functions within controlled environments.