Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin stated that artificial intelligence-powered vulnerability scanning and code development can improve the security of blockchains and decentralized applications.

Buterin published a paper titled "A Brief Overview of Formal Verification," in which he stated that programming in very low-level languages has become increasingly popular in recent months. This refers to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) bytecode, also known as Lean. The key feature of this method is code verification using automatically verifiable mathematical proofs written in Lean. Buterin is confident that, when properly implemented, this method can improve code security compared to traditional programming methods.

The programmer argues that formal verification—the mathematical checking of code for errors before hackers find them—will help protect Ethereum and other blockchains from hacking. Increasingly powerful AI tools are helping to find hidden coding errors, as well as serious vulnerabilities in smart contracts that humans might miss. AI cannot replace humans, but it can improve their efficiency, Buterin wrote. He noted that analysts and programmers are now using AI not only to detect threats but also to more quickly create secure code. The Ethereum co-founder considers this a significant achievement for the crypto industry.

Buterin cited former Ethereum Foundation engineer Yoichi Hirai, who called this the "final form of software engineering." Hirai worked on Ethereum smart contract security but resigned in 2018, fearing that his proposal, EIP-867, for a standardized refund format could violate Japanese law.

However, Buterin added a caveat: if such AI tools were used by malicious actors, they would be able to identify software bugs in minutes, posing a serious threat to the blockchain industry. Therefore, the Ethereum co-founder urged developers not to neglect more reliable verification methods, more secure programming languages, and stricter software development standards.

Earlier, Buterin expressed concern that if left unchecked, artificial intelligence could rebel against humanity and become the "supreme species on the planet." In February, the programmer proposed making Ethereum a network where payment transactions would be handled by AI.

Vitalik Buterin: AI will simplify the search for errors in smart contracts