Vitalik: AI might discover cryptographic shortcuts that humans haven't found in decades! Just finished watching Vitalik's interview—sounds a bit scary, like the fate of encryption is in AI's hands. Vitalik said: Maybe there are hidden weaknesses in elliptic curves and lattice-based cryptography that humans haven't been smart enough to uncover yet. But robots can. He gave the example of RSA: In the past, humans thought certain mathematical problems could only be solved through brute-force methods. Then algorithms like the quadratic sieve and GNFS emerged, drastically improving efficiency and forcing RSA to continuously increase key lengths. Now, AI might bring similar mathematical breakthroughs again, potentially even reducing the practical security of quantum-resistant lattice-based cryptography, which many had high hopes for. A few days ago, Ethereum researcher Justin Drake warned that AI might beat quantum computers to the punch and find a way to crack ECDSA. He even called on the industry to start preparing defensive measures in advance. In the future, blockchain should consistently invest in having AI attack its own code and mathematical foundations, finding vulnerabilities before hackers do, and rewarding verifiable results. Vitalik even said that without AI, Ethereum's current Lean roadmap might not be achievable until 2040 or even 2050. In the past, the crypto world worried about quantum computers cracking private keys. Now, AI mathematicians might bring the shock even sooner.