Vitalik Buterin has shared an updated perspective on the integration of Ethereum with artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need to pursue a positive path that prioritizes human freedom and security.
Two years ago, I wrote this post on the possible areas that I see for ethereum + AI intersections: https://t.co/ds9mLnrJWm
This is a topic that many people are excited about, but where I always worry that we think about the two from completely separate philosophical… pic.twitter.com/pQq5kazT61
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) February 9, 2026
He envisions a future for AI where:
- human freedom and empowerment are supported. Two scenarios are excluded: where everyone is “retired” due to artificial intelligence and where authoritarian structures permanently strip the masses of power;
- the world does not explode — neither in the form of a “classic apocalypse” from superintelligent AI nor in more chaotic scenarios.
“In the long term, this may include seemingly crazy things like digitizing human consciousness or merging with AI. These concern those who want to keep up with extremely intelligent entities capable of thinking millions of times faster on a silicon basis,” Buterin noted.
In the foreseeable future, the discussion revolves around more “familiar” ideas, yet still requiring deep rethinking compared to previous computational paradigms.
The developer outlined four areas he sees for joint development with Ethereum.
Tools for Private Interaction with AI
Buterin believes it is necessary to devise ways for trustless work with artificial intelligence. These include:
- local tools for LLM;
- ZK-payments for API calls — to access remote models without revealing one’s identity from request to request;
- work on cryptographic methods to enhance AI privacy;
- verification of cryptographic proofs on the client side, confirmation of TEE, and any other forms of server guarantees.
“These are the same types of things we could build for computations not related to LLM,” the developer noted.
Ethereum as an Economic Layer for AI Interactions
In this category, Buterin included:
- API calls;
- bots hiring other bots;
- insurance deposits, and over time, more complex constructs like on-chain dispute resolutions;
- ERC-8004 and AI reputation ideas.
The goal is to provide neural networks with tools for economic interaction. This will make decentralized AI architectures viable.
Realizing the Cypherpunk Vision of the “Mountain Hermit”
The concept involves creating an environment where everything is verifiable. Currently, it is impractical, as people are physically unable to analyze all the code. Thanks to LLM, the idea can be realized.
In this category, Buterin included:
- interaction with Ethereum-based applications without relying on third-party interfaces;
- a local model that suggests transactions itself;
- another neural network verifies operations created by decentralized application interfaces;
- auditing smart contracts and assisting in interpreting the meaning of FV proofs;
- verification of application and protocol trust models.
Creating More Efficient Markets and Governance
Prediction and decision markets, decentralized governance, quadratic voting, combinatorial auctions, universal barter economy, and various constructs sound great in theory but are severely constrained in reality by the limits of human attention and decision-making ability, Buterin believes.
LLM removes this problem and greatly scales human judgment, meaning people can revisit all these ideas and rethink them.
“All of this is something Ethereum can help make a reality. The ideas are also in the spirit of d/acc: they enhance decentralized collaboration and improve protection. We can return to the best ideas of 2014, add many new and more advanced ones, and with AI and ZK, we have a completely different set of tools to bring them to life,” Buterin concluded.
In February, the developer categorized algorithmic stablecoins as “true” DeFi. He suggested the industry gradually move away from the US dollar peg in favor of a basket of indices.