Solana (SOL) co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko is warning that the rapid pace of artificial intelligence and quantum computing could soon force Bitcoin (BTC) and other blockchains to abandon their current cryptography.
In a panel discussion at the All-In Summit, the Solana co-creator says the convergence of multiple technologies has created an inflection point that could put existing signature schemes at risk.
He warns that an AI-assisted quantum breakthrough that could breach Bitcoin’s cryptography is a scenario that could happen in the next few years.
“I feel like 50 -50 within five years, there is a quantum breakthrough, and part of that is because of how fast AI… We should migrate Bitcoin to a quantum-resistant signature scheme. This is my bet.
And this is because so many technologies are converging right now. And this asymptotic rate AI and how fast it’s accelerating, going from a research paper to an implementation, is astounding. So I would try to encourage folks to speed things up.”
Yakovenko adds that the tipping point will likely come from consumer platforms. If tech giants roll out post-quantum standards in their operating systems and devices, the ecosystem would be ready for blockchains to follow.
“My key for this is Google and Apple adopt a quantum-resistant cryptographic stack. This is the time to go migrate because now the consumer side of it is effectively solved.”
Quantum computers use qubits, which can exist in multiple states at once, allowing them to solve certain problems far faster than today’s machines. That power could crack Bitcoin’s current cryptography, which is why researchers are racing to build quantum-resistant algorithms.