TLDR
- Vitalik Buterin argues that 2026 should be a turning point for digital autonomy and computing self-sovereignty.
- Buterin responds to critics who accuse him of distancing himself from the Ethereum community by promoting niche tools.
- He defends his transition to decentralized tools such as Signal, Simplex, Session, and Fileverse for better privacy and security.
- Buterin emphasizes that tools must be chosen based on principles rather than mass-market popularity.
- He shares his vision for local AI models and the need for better user interfaces and cryptographic techniques for privacy.
Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, recently faced backlash after expressing his views on decentralization and digital autonomy. Critics accused him of isolating himself from the Ethereum community by promoting niche decentralized tools. However, Buterin fired back, urging critics to build tools that protect users’ freedom and self-sovereignty.
Vitalik Buterin Advocates for Digital Autonomy in 2026
Vitalik Buterin took to X to declare that 2026 should mark a turning point for digital autonomy. He argued that the world must move beyond blockchain technology and make active choices toward “computing self-sovereignty.” Buterin believes that freedom can only be achieved by using tools that empower users without compromising privacy and data protection.
2026 is the year we take back lost ground in computing self-sovereignty.
But this applies far beyond the blockchain world.
In 2025, I made two major changes to the software I use:
* Switched almost fully to https://t.co/caFP0K5fYF (open source encrypted decentralized docs)
*…— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) January 22, 2026
Buterin mentioned his own transition to decentralized tools, including switching from Telegram to privacy-focused platforms like Signal, Simplex, and Session. He also moved his document sharing to Fileverse and replaced Google Maps with OpenStreetMap and OrganicMaps. Buterin highlighted the importance of reducing reliance on centralized services that track personal information.
Ethereum Community Criticizes Buterin’s Shift to Niche Tools
The Ethereum community reacted strongly to Buterin’s stance. Some members accused him of retreating into niche, less accessible tools, distancing himself from the larger Ethereum ecosystem. One community member expressed frustration, saying, “He’s moving away from tools everyone uses to esoteric tools no one uses, so we’ll have to use Fileverse to read his work?”
Another developer mocked Buterin’s shift from Telegram to Signal, questioning his approach to communication. They noted that other blockchain figures are more accessible and communicative with their communities.
“It’s not like you were very approachable or easy to talk to or helpful with the Ethereum community before anyway,” they said.
Buterin responded to the criticism by urging his followers not to use tools based solely on their popularity. He stressed that tools must align with principles, rather than mass-market appeal. “This mentality created Liberty Reserve, which ultimately failed,” Buterin remarked, emphasizing the importance of resisting tools that “slurp up all your data.”
Buterin’s Vision for AI and Local Models
Buterin also discussed his vision for local artificial intelligence (AI) and its challenges. He noted the rapid progress of local large language models (LLMs), but emphasized the lack of cohesive interfaces for users. While various GitHub repositories exist for LLMs, Buterin pointed out that the technology still lacks a unified user experience akin to mainstream tools like Google Translate.
He proposed combining local processing with cryptographic techniques to limit data exposure when cloud resources are required. Buterin’s ideal approach aims to keep user data secure while maintaining the capabilities of advanced AI models.
