Vitalik Buterin Reveals How Ethereum and AI Could Work Together

Highlights:

• Vitalik Buterin has highlighted how AI and Ethereum could be integrated as a single entity.
• The Ethereum co-founder emphasized strong human control, while AI performs difficult tasks. 
• He also noted that providing a system that allows AI interact economically will spread control across groups. 

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has shared a new update on how he expects Ethereum and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to work together. The Ethereum co-founder detailed the link between the two entities in a February 9 tweet, building on ideas he first publicized two years ago. In his X post, Buterin noted that many people consider AI and crypto two separate worlds, but they should not be. 

Vitalik Buterin shared updated views on the convergence of Ethereum and AI, arguing against pursuing "accelerationist AGI" and instead advocating a positive path that prioritizes human freedom and safety by integrating crypto and AI perspectives. His focus includes building…

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) February 10, 2026

The Ethereum co-founder argued that AI’s future shouldn’t just chase speed to keep up with competitors. Instead, it should be about choosing the right path and ensuring that humans remain in control. Buterin also responded to a recent comment suggesting that he should work on Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). 

While he accepted the suggestion as a compliment, the co-founder said the statement appears too vague. Explaining further, Buterin stated that it sounds like a race where someone will win sooner or later, without having a clear idea of what the race is about. “It would be like describing Ethereum as working in finance or working on computing,” he added.

Vitalik Buterin Describes Dream AI Future

The Ethereum co-founder stated that his ideal AI future should have two main goals. First, people should remain free and empowered. This means avoiding a world where humans are being replaced by machines or where power becomes locked up in systems that no one could challenge. Secondly, the world must stay safe. This entails avoiding all AI disaster risks. 

Buterin believes that in the long run, some people may choose to blend more closely with AI to keep up with faster digital minds. However, the focus now should be on creating practical steps that fit today’s world, such as building tools for using AI while protecting privacy and trust. It should also include running AI models locally, making private payments for AI services, and using cryptography to confirm system operations.

Ethereum’s Role in the Future of AI

In his tweet, Buterin highlighted Ethereum’s key role as the payment and coordination backbone for AI. With this, AI programs can pay for services, collaborate, post deposits, and build reputations. He added that giving AI systems opportunities to interact economically will spread control across companies and groups. “Economies not for the sake of economies, but to enable more decentralized authority,” Buterin explained.

On privacy, Buterin noted that while advocates push for users to verify everything themselves, it is very difficult in real practice, as many people find it challenging to read complex code. With AI, Buterin believes that this privacy issue will soon be solved. According to him, local AI tools now enable users to interact with Ethereum apps without relying on third-party websites. It also allows them to check transactions before signing, review smart contracts, and have a better understanding of how apps function. He believes that AI should handle the tricky parts while users remain in control. 

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

Buterin also pointed out that AI can help solve long-standing limits in markets and governance. Per the Ethereum co-founder, ideas like prediction markets, shared decision systems, and fair voting models often fail because humans have limited time and focus. “LLMs remove that limitation, and massively scale human judgment. Hence, we can revisit all of those ideas,” he added.