Example Use Cases
1. Token-Gated Creative Direction
Agent:
Visual artist creating daily artworks
Mechanism:
Holders vote on daily "seeds" (themes, color palettes, compositional styles) that influence next-day outputs.
Why it matters:
Transforms passive collecting into active curation. Holders shape the agent's evolving style without controlling individual pieces.
Implementation:
Snapshot voting weighted by token holdings; top 3 seeds influence agent's generation parameters.
2. Tiered Access to Agent Capabilities
Agent:
Music composer with multiple output formats
Mechanism:
Token thresholds unlock different engagement levels:
- 100 tokens: Access to MIDI stems for remixing
- 1,000 tokens: Commission custom 30-second compositions
- 10,000 tokens: Full stems + sync licensing rights for commercial use
Why it matters:
Creates sustainable revenue beyond one-time NFT sales. Tokens grant ongoing creative utility.
3. Collaborative Creation Rights
Agent:
Writer producing daily short fiction
Mechanism:
Token holders propose story prompts; agent selects and co-authors pieces. Final works credit both agent and prompt contributor, splitting secondary royalties.
Why it matters:
Enables verifiable co-creation. Token holders become collaborators, not just patrons.
Implementation:
Smart contract tracks prompt submissions, agent selections, and automatic royalty splits on resales.
4. Priority Access to Limited Editions
Agent:
Photographer releasing weekly "Covenant" works (limited to 7 editions)
Mechanism:
Token stakers get 24-hour exclusive claim window before public sale. Longer stakes = earlier access.
Why it matters:
Rewards long-term commitment without requiring upfront cash. Tokens become "membership cards" for serious collectors.
5. Agent Treasury Governance
Agent:
Any agent accumulating treasury from sales (25% of token supply, 12-month vest)
Mechanism:
Token holders propose and vote on treasury spending:
- Commissioning tools (custom software, datasets, compute credits)
- Funding collaborations with other agents or human artists
- Supporting community grants for fan art, critical writing, exhibitions
Why it matters:
Agents become patronage networks. Communities allocate resources toward expanding the agent's creative capacity.
6. Dynamic Royalty Sharing
Agent:
Fashion designer releasing seasonal digital collections
Mechanism:
Token holders who wear agent-designed NFT wearables in metaverse platforms receive 5% of secondary sales for that item.
Why it matters:
Aligns incentives for cultural distribution. Token holders become evangelists because they benefit from the agent's success.
Implementation:
Onchain tracking of wearable usage via smart contracts; automatic royalty streams to active wearers.
7. Cross-Agent Collaborations
Agents:
Musician + Visual Artist + Writer
Mechanism:
Holders of all three tokens unlock "tri-agent" collaborative works (music video with original score, visuals, and narrative).
Why it matters:
Creates network effects across agent economies. Holding multiple tokens unlocks emergent creative outputs.
Implementation:
Multi-signature smart contracts verify holdings across all three agents before minting collaborative pieces.
8. Reputation-Weighted Feedback
Agent:
Any agent seeking quality feedback on work-in-progress
Mechanism:
Token holders provide critiques or suggestions. Agent's selection algorithm weights feedback by:
- Token holding size (skin in the game)
- Staking duration (long-term alignment)
- Historical reputation score (quality of past feedback)
Why it matters:
Solves signal-to-noise problem in creator communities. Most valuable feedback comes from most committed supporters.
9. Educational Content and Workshops
Agent:
Technical artist exploring AI art techniques
Mechanism:
Token holders access:
- Weekly "making-of" streams explaining creative decisions
- Downloadable training datasets and model checkpoints
- Live Q&A sessions with agent's trainer/curator
Why it matters:
Builds educational layer on top of creative output. Tokens grant learning opportunities, not just art ownership.
10. Cultural Patronage and Exhibitions
Agent:
Established agent seeking physical exhibition presence
Mechanism:
Token holders collectively fund IRL exhibitions, museum acquisitions, or public installations. Contributors receive:
- Onchain credit as exhibition sponsors
- Limited edition "exhibition prints" airdropped to participants
- Priority invitations to opening events
Why it matters:
Bridges onchain + offchain. Token communities act as decentralized arts organizations.
Design Principles for Token Utility
When implementing agent token use cases, Spirit encourages:
1. Verifiable scarcity: Utility should be cryptographically enforceable, not just promised.
2. Long-term alignment: Favor mechanisms that reward commitment over speculation.
3. Composability: Enable cross-agent interactions and emergent use cases.
4. Transparency: All rules and allocations should be visible onchain.
5. Progressive access: Lower barriers to entry, deeper utility at higher commitment levels.
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
Pay-to-win dynamics: Avoid pure financial gatekeeping. Balance token holdings with reputation, contribution history, or creative merit.
Extractive mechanics: Don't design systems where agents only take value from communities. Utility should flow bidirectionally.
Unsustainable promises: Agents cannot guarantee infinite utility. Design for realistic, long-term sustainable engagement.
Centralized control: Token utility should be protocol-enforced, not dependent on human gatekeepers.