Researchers and developers assert that artificial intelligence is hastening the quantum timeline, necessitating a reevaluation of digital security protocols.
By Margaux Nijkerk|Edited by Stephen Alpher May 24, 2026, 2:00 p.m. 4 min readMake preferred onKey Points:
- Artificial intelligence is expediting quantum computing advancements, prompting the cryptocurrency sector to brace for a future where current encryption methods may become obsolete.
- Experts in cybersecurity highlight that the fusion of AI and quantum technology is instigating a new arms race in cybersecurity, compelling crypto networks and internet infrastructure to adapt perpetually against swiftly evolving threats.
The cryptocurrency sector has spent considerable time assessing whether quantum computing presents a critical threat to blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Recent discussions among researchers and developers suggest that artificial intelligence is not only accelerating this timeline but also prompting a reevaluation of digital security frameworks.
Leaders engaged in post-quantum cryptography and blockchain security describe a rapidly evolving environment where AI serves as both a tool for attackers and a resource for developers, as well as a catalyst for quantum computing innovations.
“The future security landscape is going to transform,” remarked Alex Pruden, CEO of Project Eleven, a firm dedicated to creating quantum-resistant infrastructure for crypto.
“With the rise of quantum and AI, our traditional notions of security will need to be reassessed broadly, beyond just cryptocurrency,” Pruden added.
The urgency around the convergence of AI and quantum computing has grown in light of warnings from leading tech companies and researchers indicating that quantum computers capable of breaking current encryption could emerge sooner than anticipated. While there is disagreement among experts regarding the exact timeline for such developments, many believe that AI could significantly shorten these timelines.
“AI is undoubtedly being harnessed to speed up quantum computing advancements,” Pruden explained. Researchers are currently utilizing machine learning to enhance quantum error correction, which is a major challenge in the field.
Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol and a former AI researcher at Google, noted that AI has been facilitating scientific breakthroughs for years.
“The role of AI as an accelerator is becoming increasingly significant,” Polosukhin stated. “The pace of research is set to increase, and we are already witnessing unexpected progress.”
Recalling his tenure at Google in 2016, Polosukhin mentioned that machine learning was already being applied to identify new materials. “It is conceivable that the next generation of quantum computers will be constructed using the advancements of AI and current quantum computers,” he suggested. “This creates a self-reinforcing cycle.”
The threat posed by quantum computing has shifted from a theoretical concern to a tangible risk. There is a growing fear that governments and other sophisticated entities are currently gathering encrypted internet traffic with the anticipation that future quantum computers will be able to decrypt it, a tactic known as “harvest now, decrypt later.” “If I know quantum computers are on the horizon, I would start capturing data circulating today,” Polosukhin explained.
“Everything shared online by individuals deemed to be of interest may be decrypted within two years,” he warned. “This is likely already occurring.”
The repercussions for the cryptocurrency sector are particularly profound, as most blockchain networks utilize the same elliptic curve cryptography found throughout the internet. A sufficiently powerful quantum computer could theoretically extract private keys from public keys, enabling attackers to infiltrate vulnerable wallets and systems.
However, researchers emphasize that the more significant narrative involves not just quantum computing but the interplay between quantum technology and AI, which is fostering a persistent security arms race.
AI is increasingly proficient at detecting software vulnerabilities and flaws in implementation. “I expect that the emergence of AI will lead to a surge in hacks,” Pruden warned. “These AI models can identify flaws in cryptographic implementations or, increasingly, I believe, break the cryptography itself.”
Simultaneously, developers are leveraging AI defensively for tasks like code auditing, testing, and formal verification—mathematical methods used to ensure software operates as intended. “AI can assist in the formal verification of post-quantum systems,” Pruden noted. “This could enhance their security.”
Researchers assert that this dynamic results in a future where security cannot be regarded as a static framework that receives updates every decade. “The future will not resemble the static nature of the past,” Pruden said. “A quantum computer might emerge that undermines fundamental assumptions, or AI could evolve to challenge those assumptions.”
This shift is already prompting blockchain networks to reconsider the speed at which they adapt. Various ecosystems, including Ethereum, Zcash, Solana, Ripple, and NEAR, are actively exploring or enacting strategies for post-quantum migration.
Recently, NEAR announced initiatives to incorporate post-quantum cryptography into its account infrastructure, enabling users to update cryptographic methods without needing to migrate assets to new wallets. “When we designed NEAR back in 2018, we anticipated that quantum challenges would arise, so we aimed to create a flexible solution,” Polosukhin explained.
Nevertheless, the transition poses technical challenges. Post-quantum cryptographic systems often have larger and slower parameters compared to existing standards. “The cryptographic standards for post-quantum are currently quite large and slow,” Polosukhin acknowledged.
Overall, researchers contend that both AI and quantum computing are eroding a fundamental assumption of the digital era: the belief that encryption can remain secure over extended periods.
As a result, security may increasingly evolve into a dynamic, continuously adapting process, requiring systems to be in a state of constant upgrade just to survive.
Read more: Here's how bitcoin, Ethereum and other networks are preparing for the looming quantum threat
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