Vitalik Buterin Warns AI-Driven Mathematical Advances Could Threaten Cryptography Within Two Years

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has stated that rapid advances in artificial intelligence could weaken lattice-based cryptographic algorithms within two years and potentially break the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) used by Bitcoin and Ethereum wallets earlier than expected. Replying to Ethereum researcher Justin Drake's call for emergency preparations, Buterin emphasized that users do not need to move funds immediately but urged the industry to reduce exposure to AI-vulnerable cryptography.

Lattice mathematics currently underpins post-quantum signature schemes like ML-DSA as well as Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE). Buterin suggested that AI could drastically accelerate mathematical discoveries, comparing the threat to how historical shortcuts forced cryptographic keys to expand. Consequently, he highlighted hash-based schemes—which lack exploitable mathematical structures and are used in Ethereum's long-term Lean roadmap—as a more secure alternative.

The vulnerability concerns also extend to Bitcoin, which relies heavily on ECDSA. Drake warned that elliptic curve signatures could face theoretical risks within months in a worst-case scenario, noting that Bitcoin addresses exposed on public ledgers remain tracked, while certain smaller wallets retain partial protection from standard address hashing.