Cryptography pioneer Adi Shamir expressed his skepticism towards cryptocurrencies at the RSA Conference in San Francisco. Shamir, co-inventor of the RSA encryption algorithm, stated that the world would be better off without cryptocurrencies due to their failure to fulfill promises. He criticized the centralization of exchanges and the prevalence of speculation over actual usage for payments. Despite his reservations, Shamir acknowledged the potential of blockchain technology for various applications. Another panelist, Ed Felten, offered a more balanced perspective, highlighting the value of crypto amidst its challenges. Shamir's contributions to cryptography, including the RSA algorithm and Shamir's Secret Sharing technique, have significantly influenced digital security and cryptocurrency development. While he has made mistakes in the past, such as erroneously linking Satoshi Nakamoto to the Silk Road, Shamir's impact on the field remains profound. Read more AI-generated news on: https://app.chaingpt.org/news