Vitalik Buterin is urging the tech world to rethink how artificial intelligence is built — and why. In a Monday post, the Ethereum co-founder argued that framing AI progress as a sprint toward artificial general intelligence misses the point and encourages reckless speed over thoughtful design. Instead of chasing ever-larger models, Vitalik called for AI systems built around privacy, transparency, and human control. He outlined a practical roadmap where Ethereum helps provide the “rails” for safer AI use.
That includes tools that let people run AI locally on their own devices, ways to pay for AI services without handing over personal data, and systems that let users verify what an AI is actually doing rather than blindly trusting it. Vitalik also sees a role for Ethereum as a neutral coordination layer, where AI programs can pay each other, post deposits, or resolve disputes without relying on a single company. The goal, he wrote, is not faster AI at any cost, but technology that strengthens human agency, and avoids building systems we can’t control later.
Vitalik Buterin argues that advancing artificial intelligence should not be a sprint toward artificial general intelligence. Instead, AI progress should emphasize privacy, transparency, and human control. He outlines Ethereum-enabled rails to support safer AI use, including tools for local AI deployment and privacy-preserving payments.
Buterin envisions Ethereum as a neutral coordination layer where AI programs can transact, post deposits, or resolve disputes without depending on a single company. The goal is to strengthen human agency and ensure systems remain controllable rather than chasing faster AI at any cost. The practical roadmap focuses on verifiable AI behavior, on-device computation, and payments that protect user data, enabling safer, more accountable AI deployments.
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