Breaking Out of Established Frameworks: Analyzing the Concept of "Autonomy" in Artificial Intelligence, Decentralization, and Autonomous Worlds

The term "autonomy" originates from Greek, initially referring to the self-governing power of city-states. As time has progressed, this concept has gradually been applied to individuals, machines, and systems, indicating the ability to operate independently without external intervention. In emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, Decentralization Autonomous Organization ( DAO ), and autonomous worlds, the understanding and application of "autonomy" have taken on new meanings.

In the field of artificial intelligence, "autonomy" typically refers to a system's ability to complete tasks independently, without human intervention. Autonomous agents not only possess strong reasoning and decision-making capabilities but can also act independently based on their understanding of the world. In the future, crypto networks may become the infrastructure for AI to achieve advanced autonomy.

The definition of "autonomy" in a DAO is controversial. The initial idea was that the organization would operate independently solely based on smart contract code, but in reality, most DAOs still require human participation. Some believe that as technology advances, DAOs will gradually reduce their dependence on people. However, others argue that people-oriented DAOs and fully automated DAOs will be two different directions of development.

"Autonomous World" is an emerging concept that refers to a world system built on blockchain technology, characterized by strict rule boundaries and formally introduced mechanisms, and that does not require specific individuals for maintenance. The appeal of such a world lies in its objectivity - participants can create lasting "objective facts" under stable rules.

The connotation of "autonomy" is still evolving. It involves the most profound issues in human civilization, far beyond the scope of this article. Questions about whether human consciousness is truly autonomous and whether it is constrained by higher-dimensional rules still require further exploration.