Here’s why AI-equipped NFTs could be the real gateway to the Metaverse

Here’s why AI-equipped NFTs could be the real gateway to the Metaverse

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Nonfungible tokens (NFTs) have been largely acquired as proof-of-profile pictures (PFPs) that represent a brand, embody culture or ultimately, reflect as a static status symbol. Blue-chip NFTs like the Bored Ape Yacht Club or Cool Cats were not originally backed by any tangible utility other than speculative value and hype, along with the promise of an illustrative roadmap, but in 2022, investors are looking for a little bit “more.” 

However, nonfungible tokens are finding their use beyond branding and status symbols by attempting to build out an existence in the Metaverse and some are ambitious enough to start within it.

The Altered State Machine (ASM) Artificial Intelligence Football Association (AIFA) has introduced a novel concept to NFTs called nonfungible intelligence or NFI. By tokenizing artificial intelligence, the ASM AIFA has captured the attention of investors who are thinking long-term about the future of the Metaverse and decentralized play-to-earn (P2E) economies.

In fusing AI features to the three growing markets of gaming, decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFTs, the ASM AIFA has the potential to be a lucrative long-term bet.

As an investor, these are the strategies I’ve considered when thinking about investing in the ASM AIFA, while also factoring in the impending tokenomics that will be integrated into the nascent blockchain P2E game.

Follow the linear path by buying genesis boxes

The ASM AIFA genesis box collection is essentially a starter booster pack toward its ecosystem. A box includes four ASM AI agents or all-stars as well as an ASM brain, which is the intelligence that powers each ASM all-star.

Currently valued at 5.369 Ether (ETH) ($16,768.84), the box is a valuable bet for those who hold long-term convictions in the ASTO economy and its decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) but more so, the Metaverse as a whole.

Since the ASM AIFA intends to award its early adopters and players through its play-and-earn model, the genesis box is essentially equipped as a ASTO generating set-up.

According to the ASM AIFA whitepaper, each brain will be able to mine ASTO and each all-star will be able to generate ASTO through training. Not only is ASTO the utility token of the Altered State Machine metaverse, but it’s also the governance token in the ASM ecosystem.

Furthermore, these brains are not only limited to the ASM AIFA collection. They will also be supported in other notable NFT projects like FLUFF World NFT, making it interoperable as well.

ASTO tokens are needed to train the AI all-stars and also to create more AI agents. AI agents do not have to be limited to playing soccer in-game, its ASM brain can be trained to be a trading bot as well since it’s dependent on its learned memories.

The project launched on Oct. 18, 2021, and since hitting the secondary market, ASM AIFA genesis boxes have increased by nearly 1,200%, suggesting there is growing interest and owners have recognized the value of AI.

ASM AIFA all-time average price / volume. Source: OpenSea

In the last seven days, the average sale price of the genesis boxes have been on a downward trend, dropping from 6.3 ETH to 5.3 ETH. It seems that even with a slight correction, the genesis boxes have not dipped below the 4.75 ETH in the last month.

ASM AIFA 30-day average price / volume. Source: OpenSea

Based on the price points of the items in the genesis box, the floor for the ASM all-stars currently costs 0.21 Ether ($654.37) with a team of four, totaling approximately $2,617.48. The cheapest ASM brain is currently priced at 3.92 Ether ($12,214.96) bringing the total sum of the contents in the box to approximately $14,832.44 or 4.77 Ether.

Essentially, at these current prices, buying a genesis box costs roughly the same as it would purchasing the items separately. However, both the ASM brains and all-stars have experienced price fluctuations that have previously made purchasing the box a cheaper alternative than buying the items separately.

Depending on an investor’s motives and strategy, they could sort other methods to own a piece of the ASM metaverse.