Ethlabs has proposed accelerating Ethereum’s transition to post-quantum security, targeting initial readiness in 2027 because it believes advances in quantum computing and artificial intelligence could threaten existing cryptographic systems sooner than expected. The pqai27 initiative would change priorities for the Hegotá hard fork and redirect resources from fast slots to post-quantum consensus, secure accounts, signature aggregation and data availability.

Ethlabs presented the initiative on the Ethereum Magicians forum following discussions with core developers at Devcon.

The company said advances in AI have brought forward the potential timeline for cryptographic threats. Current AI models can already help solve complex mathematical problems and identify software vulnerabilities, making it harder to predict when existing cryptographic mechanisms could become unreliable, according to Ethlabs.

Preparing for quantum and AI threats

Ethlabs said quantum threats could emerge earlier than previously expected. It noted that the U.S. government had moved its target deadline for addressing quantum risks from 2035 to 2030, while Google plans to transition to post-quantum cryptography by 2029.

The company also pointed to AI’s cybersecurity capabilities, citing OpenAI’s use of an internal model to identify and fix about 1,000 vulnerabilities in Linux. Ethlabs argued that Ethereum should therefore prepare both for quantum computers and for AI systems capable of finding weaknesses in software and cryptographic algorithms.

The initiative proposes using cryptography with a minimal set of security assumptions and expanding formal code verification. Ethlabs also identified Ethereum’s client diversity and decentralized validator set as advantages in preparing for such threats.

Proposed changes to the Hegotá roadmap

Pqai27 calls for Ethereum developers to reconsider priorities for the upcoming Hegotá hard fork and postpone changes that are not critical to the transition to post-quantum security.

Ethlabs specifically proposed reconsidering the inclusion of FOCIL, currently a key component of the consensus-layer upgrade. The initiative’s authors said FOCIL could delay the move to post-quantum consensus.

The Frames proposal, which is intended to expand Ethereum account capabilities, would remain because Ethlabs considers it part of the critical path toward pqai27. Other priorities would include post-quantum signature aggregation and data availability.

Ethlabs divided the proposed transition into two stages:

• pqai-ready: Ethereum’s consensus would become post-quantum, and every user would be able to migrate to a secure account. If existing cryptography were compromised earlier than expected, the network could continue operating at reduced throughput.
• pqai-scaled: Ethereum would be able to process post-quantum transactions and data at full capacity, including through post-quantum data availability and signature aggregation.

The plan targets implementation of the first stage in 2027. Ethlabs described completion of the second stage in the same year as an ambitious target.

Fast slots could move to 2028

As part of the proposed reprioritization, Ethlabs said it was withdrawing the fast slots proposal from Hegotá so it could direct resources toward pqai27.

The company said it was not abandoning efforts to shorten slots and planned to continue that work in 2028. By the end of that year, Ethlabs wants Ethereum to be post-quantum, resilient to AI-related threats, faster and useful to a broader range of users.

Ethlabs said stronger security and censorship resistance could help Ethereum become reliable infrastructure for the global economy. Pqai27 remains an Ethlabs proposal rather than an approved Ethereum upgrade roadmap, and its implementation will depend on decisions by the network’s core developers.

Source: Incrypted