Ethereum Bids Farewell to Eric Conner Amid Tensions. 🫂👀
After 11 years of shaping Ethereum’s growth, Eric Conner, a key figure behind EIP-1559, has departed, citing governance disagreements. Conner, who co-authored Ethereum's fee market overhaul, is transitioning to AI, joining Fresya.AI. This move highlights the growing convergence of blockchain and AI while raising questions about Ethereum’s decentralization.
Conner’s work on EIP-1559 transformed Ethereum’s fee structure, introducing a base fee model that burns ETH and supports its deflationary shift. Though never formally employed by Ethereum, his contributions helped solidify its leadership in decentralized ecosystems.
In his farewell, Conner revealed his pivot to Fresya AI, exploring how blockchain and AI can merge to innovate data governance and trustless infrastructure.
Conner’s exit coincides with criticism of Ethereum’s governance model, with some arguing it has become too centralized. These tensions raise questions about Ethereum’s ability to balance scalability and its decentralized principles.
The Pectra upgrade, set for March 2025, aims to improve scalability and throughput to compete with Layer-2 networks and rivals like Solana. Success depends on integrating key proposals while maintaining security.
Conner’s departure signals a turning point for Ethereum. As the network faces governance challenges and technical milestones, its future will depend on how it adapts to both internal and external pressures.
