Ethereum Foundation restructuring focuses on core technology and AI agents

ME AI message: Joe Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum and CEO of Consensys, stated that recent layoffs, budget cuts, and leadership changes at the Ethereum Foundation are not a crisis, but a necessary evolution of the organization. In an interview, Lubin emphasized that the Ethereum Foundation should focus on safeguarding the core protocol technology and its value, while tasks such as adoption, ecosystem expansion, and institutional partnerships should be handled by other organizations. Maintaining neutrality and credibility is critical to avoid conflicts between commercial interests and developers. There is a public misunderstanding of the Foundation’s role: EF’s responsibility is to maintain the Ethereum protocol, not to lead commercialization or market competition strategies. Lubin also noted that Ethereum’s future will be shaped by multiple organizations working together, rather than being led by a single entity. He dismissed claims that Ethereum is in decline, asserting that the network continues to grow steadily and that years of scaling efforts are laying the groundwork for the next wave of adoption—including on-chain transactions by autonomous AI agents and increased institutional usage. The Ethereum Foundation’s narrowed focus is designed to ensure the protocol can support the next generation of applications, while new organizations will take on promotion and commercialization efforts. Lubin highlighted that the next wave will be the intelligent agent economy, where hybrid human-machine systems will use Ethereum’s infrastructure for transactions. The restructuring of the Ethereum Foundation represents a healthy institutional optimization, helping Ethereum maintain robust growth under decentralization while preparing for future technological and commercial innovations. (Source: ODAILY)