TL;DR
- Eric Conner left the Ethereum community after more than a decade of contributions due to disagreements with Vitalik Buterin’s leadership decisions.
- Vitalik announced he would take full control of the ETH Foundation while implementing a new governance structure.
- Conner will focus his efforts on artificial intelligence, leading the development of Freysa.ai and exploring new collaborations in this field.
Ethereum developer Eric Conner has announced his departure from the community after more than a decade of contributions. This decision stems from disagreements with recent leadership choices made by Vitalik Buterin.
Recently, Vitalik stated that he would take full responsibility for the Ethereum Foundation until a new governance structure is implemented. Conner expressed dissatisfaction with what he perceives as a disconnect between the community and decision-makers within the ecosystem.
Buterin emphasized that while the necessary changes are being developed to establish a formal council within the Foundation, he would retain complete control of the organization. This decision sparked mixed reactions within the community. Some see it as a move that could bring clarity during the reform process, while others criticize it for contradicting the decentralized principles that have been central to Ethereum’s development.
Conner, in response to these developments, stated that he no longer feels motivated to continue working with ETH. He highlighted that community and organizational culture are essential factors for the long-term success of any project. He added that his decision does not reject Ethereum’s objectives but underscores the importance of leadership aligned with collective needs.
Ok, time to get real with all of you for a moment…
I ran across BTC in 2012, read the white paper and was instantly hooked. As a background in finance and tech, it spoke to me. I hung out in trading IRC channels and made crypto friends
Mt Gox hit and a ton of my friends lost…
— Eric Conner (@econoar) January 21, 2025
Conner Leaves Ethereum to Venture into AI
In parallel, Conner announced he will focus on the field of artificial intelligence. His first project in this new phase will be Freysa.ai, a tool designed to develop AI-based agents. He also expressed openness to collaborating on other technological projects related to this area.
The recent changes within the Ethereum Foundation reflect an attempt to improve its organizational structure and strengthen its technical focus. However, these transformations have reignited debates about governance in decentralized projects. Over the past year, the Foundation faced criticism regarding its resource management, goal-setting, and personnel choices. This highlights the need to balance leadership with the foundational principles that underpin blockchain technology
