AI Accelerates Quantum Threat: Crypto Security Experts Warn of Imminent Danger

The crypto industry has long debated whether quantum computing poses an existential threat to blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Now, researchers and builders believe artificial intelligence may be accelerating that timeline, forcing a broader rethink of digital security.

The Convergence of AI and Quantum Computing

Leaders in post-quantum cryptography and blockchain security describe a rapidly changing landscape where AI is simultaneously a weapon for attackers, a defensive tool for developers, and an accelerator of quantum computing research.

"The security landscape of the future is going to be different," said Alex Pruden, CEO of Project Eleven. "Between quantum and AI, we're going to go into a world where security... you simply cannot count on the way you've always done things."

AI is already being used to optimize quantum error correction, one of the field's biggest engineering bottlenecks. Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol, noted that AI has been accelerating scientific discovery for years and that "the rate of research is going to accelerate from here."

The 'Harvest Now, Decrypt Later' Threat

Governments and sophisticated actors are already collecting encrypted internet traffic today, expecting future quantum computers to decrypt it. Polosukhin warns: "If I know quantum computers are coming in a couple of years, I will start trying to capture all possible data... Everything we're putting on the internet... you can assume will be decrypted in two years."

Implications for Crypto

Most blockchain networks rely on elliptic curve cryptography. A sufficiently powerful quantum computer could derive private keys from public keys, compromising wallets and systems. The combination of quantum and AI creates a permanent security arms race, where AI finds vulnerabilities and breaks cryptography, while also helping with formal verification of post-quantum systems.

Preparing for the Quantum Future

Several ecosystems—including Ethereum, Zcash, Solana, Ripple, and NEAR—are actively researching or implementing post-quantum migration strategies. NEAR recently announced plans to integrate post-quantum cryptography into its account infrastructure, allowing users to rotate cryptographic schemes without migrating assets.

However, the transition remains technically difficult. Post-quantum cryptographic systems are often significantly larger and slower than current standards.

The Bottom Line

Both AI and quantum computing are undermining the foundational assumption that encryption remains reliable for long periods. Security may increasingly become an adaptive, continuously evolving process, where systems must constantly upgrade just to survive.