Buterin has revised Ethereum's priorities: quantum protection, AI verification, and a new scaling philosophy.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has presented an updated vision for the network's development that radically differs from the 2023 roadmap. In the new "strawmap," projected through 2029, the focus shifts to quantum computing resilience, built-in privacy, and the use of artificial intelligence for formal code verification. This is not just a tweak—it's a paradigm shift.
Privacy as a Foundation, Not an Option
The key change is that privacy is no longer an application-layer add-on but has become an integral requirement of the protocol itself. This involves mechanisms that conceal user activity and balances, as well as constructs like "wormholes," which allow transferring funds without revealing the entire transaction history. This block also includes FOCIL—a forced transaction inclusion mechanism that will be the main innovation of the Hegota hard fork.
Quantum Resilience and Lean Ethereum
The second new block is post-quantum cryptography and simplification of the technical base. The Lean Ethereum concept combines a series of upgrades that could rewrite nearly every key element of the protocol. As early as July, Buterin called this the "third major iteration" of Ethereum, estimating a timeline of three to four years. In the long term, even replacing the EVM with alternative formats like RISC-V and leanISA is considered—a step that seemed unthinkable until recently.
AI in Formal Verification
To verify the operation of the Ethereum protocol, STARK proofs will now be combined with formal verification using AI. Buterin emphasizes that this approach is only safe with formal verification, which, in turn, is feasible only with modern AI tools. This is an acknowledgment that without artificial intelligence, further network complexity becomes risky.
A New Approach to Scaling
The scaling philosophy has also changed radically. Developers have abandoned attempts to equally accelerate all types of activity. Instead, specialized mechanisms with strict constraints are being created: they lose in versatility but win in complex scenarios—from token transfers and swaps to privacy protocols. The strawmap also includes BLOB and gas futures—concepts that did not exist in 2023. At the same time, some previous plans, including many EVM improvements, have been shelved.
It's important to understand: the strawmap is a living draft, not a rigid schedule. The Ethereum Foundation has already faced criticism for timeline delays and resource allocation—in June, the organization cut 20% of its staff, restructuring around five clusters. Against this backdrop, a group of researchers proposed reducing staking rewards, which could strip the network of its main competitive advantage over bitcoin—the ability to generate income simply by holding.
My analysis: Shifting focus to quantum resilience is not paranoia but inevitability. Quantum computers are advancing faster than many expect, and Ethereum, as the most complex smart-contract platform, is the most vulnerable. However, betting on AI in verification is a double-edged sword: we are creating a system whose security depends on tools that are themselves not yet fully verified. This is a risky but perhaps the only viable path forward.