Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, presented a roadmap for the network’s future at the Japan Developer Conference, outlining short, medium, and long-term goals. The plan focuses on scalability, privacy, and long-term security.
The primary goal is to scale Layer 1 (L1) without compromising decentralization. This will be done by increasing the Gas limit, which allows more computational work in each block. The plan utilizes key tools like ZK-EVMs. This will enhance L1 performance and size.
Ethereum also plans to unify its fragmented Layer 2 networks into a single, seamless experience. This will be accomplished by enabling trustless asset transfers, improving block finality with rapid protocols like 3SF, and optimizing the network with tools like erasure coding.
A major theme discussed was privacy. The roadmap aims to protect both “write privacy” (transaction data) and “read privacy” (user queries). Methods include zero-knowledge proofs, anonymous fund pools, and mix networks to mask user identities and transaction details.
AI Integration
Additionally, Ethereum Foundation has created a new “dAI Team” to make Ethereum the primary settlement layer for AI and the machine economy. This team will focus on building an “AI Economy on Ethereum” and a “Decentralized AI Stack”. The goal is to provide a neutral, secure, and censorship-resistant platform for AI agents to interact and transact.
The long-term vision for Ethereum is a “simplified” network built on a foundation of security and optimization. Key long-term priorities include:
- Quantum Resistance: Preparing the network for potential attacks from future quantum computers.
- Formal Verification: Using mathematical techniques to guarantee the protocol’s security.
- Ideal Cryptographic Primitives: Moving towards the most advanced solutions for hashing, signatures, and zero-knowledge proofs.
Also Read: Ethereum Foundation Starts a Team to Power Future of AI on Blockchain
