AI Agents Now Pay per Call: x402 Protocol Enables Instant Micropayments

This solves a fundamental problem in AI agent economics: enabling machines to directly pay for consumed resources without human intervention. By reviving the dormant HTTP 402 standard and coupling it with EIP-3009 micropayments, the protocol creates a frictionless billing layer that settles in seconds on-chain. This opens up entirely new service delivery models where AI tools can charge per-call usage directly to requesting agents, eliminating subscription overhead and aligning incentives with actual consumption.