Agentic AI moves from theory to market reality at AIBC Asia 2026

AI agents are now a reality in gaming, finance, and Web3. This was the main takeaway from the second day of AIBC Asia 2026, held on June 3 at the SMX Convention Center in Manila. Industry leaders discussed how autonomous systems are already being tested in emerging markets.

The panel, called Playing by New Rules: How Agentic AI Is Transforming Gaming, Digital Finance and Emerging Markets, was led by Dr Jane Thomason, Emeritus Chair of the World Metaverse Council. She began by highlighting the growing link between AI agents and blockchain, calling the change “structural.” She also noted that by February 2026, 20,000 AI agents were transacting on blockchain networks independently.

Joining her on stage were Parker Zhai, Founder of RealGo, Med Amine Idmoussi, Co-Founder and CTO of bond.credit, and Keith Zammit, Founder of Elevate AI. Together, they discussed the practical use of AI agents in gaming, digital lending, compliance, asset management, and iGaming integrations.

RealGo uses AI in a mobile-focused Web3 gaming platform, allowing users to interact with AI companions and earn tokens while playing. Zhai explained that the goal is to make getting started easy, especially for people new to AI. “Users don’t need to learn how to use AI. They can just play the game, earn tokens, and interact with AI companions as friends,” he said.

Dr Jane Thomason, Emeritus Chair of the World Metaverse Council, guiding the panel discussion with key questions.

Market reality puts AI accountability under the spotlight

As AI agents begin to act independently, the panel quickly discussed questions about responsibility and control. Dr Thomason asked who should be blamed if a self-running system causes financial harm, especially in growing economies where rules are still being made.

Zhai said there is still no clear legal system for many of these issues. He thinks responsibility should be with the developers and teams who build the applications. “Whoever writes the code should be responsible,” he said, adding that the fast speed of AI development brings new risks all the time. He explained that bond.credit works with financial AI agents that manage profits and risks, with some already handling millions in funds. According to him, following rules depends on clear records of how an agent made a decision. Logs, reasoning paths, and data records can help companies show what happened if a dispute goes to court.

Zammit shared that his team has set up systems where agents check each other, always keeping humans involved. “No junior developer should be allowed to make senior level decisions,” he said, comparing AI agents to junior staff who need supervision. At One Hazel, agents can code and do tasks, but they cannot make major decisions that affect customers without human approval.

The panel also discussed safety in gaming and iGaming, focusing on children, identity, data sovereignty, and responsible gambling. Zhai said protecting children is a top concern, since young users might see AI companions as friends instead of software. He explained that RealGo sets limits for child users and changes how AI companions interact with them.

Zammit pointed out that the same technology creating risks can also help protect users. He said AI agents could spot responsible gambling risks, improve KYC checks, and find patterns that human teams might miss.

To wrap up, Dr. Jane asked each speaker to share the biggest opportunity and risk of agentic AI. Zammit said accessibility is both its main strength and its biggest risk, and he warned people to be careful with their data. Idmoussi said AI agents could save people time if used wisely. Zhai was optimistic but reminded everyone that AI should always be questioned and checked.

AIBC continues to bring these debates to AIBC keeps bringing these important debates to global audiences, connecting builders, investors, regulators, and operators in fast-moving tech sectors. If you want to follow the next chapter, look out for the main AIBC World summit in Rome, where AI, Web3, and emerging tech will be in the spotlight again.