Vitalik says AI could weaken post-quantum cryptography within two years, urges users not to rush asset transfers

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin warned on Oct. 8 that AI-driven advances in mathematics could materially weaken the real-world security of lattice-based cryptographic systems within the next two years. His warning covered technologies tied to ML-DSA and fully homomorphic encryption, and he said ECDSA could also face break risks earlier than previously expected. Buterin argued that AI may compress decades of mathematical progress into a much shorter period, saying it could deliver research gains in two years comparable to the past 50 years. Against that backdrop, he said Ethereum’s Lean roadmap has gradually shifted over the past year toward pure hash-based signature schemes in an effort to cut reliance on lattice cryptography. On user security, Buterin said funds should preferably be stored in addresses that have never initiated a transaction, where practical. At the same time, he cautioned against hasty migration of assets, noting that the transfer process itself carries a risk of loss. He also advised multisig wallets to use off-chain signature confirmation whenever possible so signature information is not publicly exposed.