Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) co-founder Vitalik Buterin urged the cryptocurrency industry on Wednesday to take “AI-accelerated attacks” on cryptography seriously.
Post-Quantum Cryptography Also Vulnerable?
In an X post, Buterin warned that AI could accelerate mathematical advances enough to weaken lattice-based cryptography—believed to be more resilient against quantum attacks.
“There is a good chance that the concrete security of lattices will take serious hits from the next two years of AI math,” he added.
Buterin said this risk is a major reason Ethereum’s roadmap has moved toward a "hash-only" direction. He stressed that signatures and proofs can already use hash-based approaches, while “public-key encryption” remains a larger unresolved challenge.
Most major blockchains currently rely on elliptic curve cryptography, a system that ensures private keys cannot be derived from public addresses using classical computers. However, sufficiently strong quantum machines could, in theory, break these protections.
Buterin Warns Against Both AI and Quantum Risks
Buterin said users need not "scramble" to move funds to new wallets immediately, but recommended reduced exposure to cryptographic systems vulnerable to AI or quantum attacks.
For users who can do so easily, Buterin suggested keeping funds in addresses that have not previously conducted transactions. He also recommended completing multi-signature confirmations off-chain to avoid exposing the public keys.
Will AI Threaten Crypto?
Earlier this year, Buterin called for the swift deployment of quantum-resistant technology for cryptocurrency, rather than delaying the transition for efficiency gains.
He has been a strong proponent of AI, frequently backing AI-powered solutions to help combat the AI threats to cryptocurrency security.
Notably, AI safety researcher Roman Yampolskiy warned in August that advanced AI systems could become “really amazing hackers,” making it nearly "impossible" for the average person to keep their Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) secure.
Price Action: As of this writing, ETH is down 2.00% in the last 24 hours to $2,567, according to Benzinga Pro.
Photo Courtesy: Alexey Smyshlyaev on Shutterstock.com
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