For the Last Year, One of the Crypto Market's Most Hotly Discussed Themes Has Been Artificial Intelligence (AI)

One of the crypto market’s most hotly discussed themes over the last year has been artificial intelligence (AI).

While this is a theme that's long been discussed, it's also a theme that's seen a lot of activity recently. As per an in-depth study by Tokenomist, several leading AI and AI-agent crypto projects are preparing for major token emissions in the next few months.

These emissions—where tokens that have been locked up are set free into the market—could dilute any current token holders and potentially push prices down if the market demand does not equal the new supply.

The study highlights that in the next six months alone, the market is set to receive over $1.5 billion in new token supply from the AI token sector. Worldcoin (WLD) leads the pack with an astounding $929.98 worth of new tokens unlocking—73.94% more than its current circulating supply.

This wave of unlocks is expected to peak around October 2025 with GRASS set to release $265.95 million worth of tokens in the same timeframe, amounting to 67.04% of its circulating supply.

Tokens like SPEC, AI, and DEAI are receiving special attention for their high dilution ratios. SPEC, in particular, is set for a 153.95% increase in the supply over the next six months.

In the same vein, AI—despite having a lower unlock value of $16.34 million—is viewed as high-risk due to its limited circulating float and quick unlock speed. Even a minimal amount of selling, with an expected 84.04% increase in just six months, could lead to some significant drops in price.

Other tokens—like IO, ATH, and COOKIE—are also in line for considerable supply inflations, with unlock percentages nearing 44% to 50% in the short term.

Looking at the next 12 months, the situation in the AI sector becomes even more pronounced, with nearly $2.8 billion worth of unlocked tokens poised to be added to the current supply.

Once again, WLD stands out with an astounding $1.84 billion in projected token unlocks over the same period—a 146.68% increase over its current circulating supply.

However, SPEC continues to surprise with its seemingly extreme dilution ratio. With a full-year unlock of $105.34 million, its supply could grow by as much as 259.39% to effectively triple in size.

This aggressive unlock schedule will likely require strong product traction and partnerships to counter the strong sell-side pressure from the new token supply.

In the meantime, ATH and COOKIE are expected to maintain consistent unlocks throughout the year. They will see increases in circulating supply of 85.58% and 69.76%, respectively.

While AI is one of crypto's most exciting and potentially rewarding frontiers, the large volume of tokens set to unlock poses a challenge.

In a market where liquidity and investor sentiment can shift rapidly, the balance between narrative-driven excitement and the tokenomics of unlocked supply will be crucial.

Initiatives with sound fundamentals, increasing adoption, and well-built ecosystems may weather the storm of dilution. But for others, especially those with low float and high unlock velocity, a grueling reset of their already thin valuations may be in the offing. As such, it would be prudent for investors in the AI crypto space to keep a close eye on when tokens become available and adjust their risk levels accordingly.