Dr. Petar Radanliev is a Professional Masters Programme Project Supervisor in AI and cybersecurity at the University of Oxford’s Department of Computer Science. Previously, he was a research associate in AI and cybersecurity at the University of Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science. He earned his PhD in 2013 and conducted post-doctoral research at Imperial College London, the University of Cambridge, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His primary research areas encompass artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, post-quantum security, and blockchain security. Before his academic career, Petar spent ten years as a cybersecurity manager for RBS--the largest bank in the world at the time, and five years as a lead penetration tester for the Ministry for Defence.

• Preface.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvPart I Foundations of Advanced Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Introduction to AI Agents, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing.. . . . 3Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Fictional Story (Part 1): The Story of Jovan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4The Foundations of AI Agents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Technological Innovations That Shape the Development of AI Agents:AI/ML, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6The Convergence.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 The Advance of Artificial Intelligence into AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . 19Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19The Rise of Neural Networks and Deep Learning.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Reinforcement Learning: Learning Through Interaction. . . . . . . . . . 24Q-Learning: An Off-Policy RL Algorithm.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Neural Turing Machines: Bridging AI and Memory.. . . . . . . . . . . . 30Future Directions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333 Digital Trust in AI Agents and Blockchain Technologies. . . . . . . . 37Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37The Essence of Blockchain as a Distributed Ledger.. . . . . . . . . . . . 39Ethereum and the Evolution of Blockchain Ecosystems.. . . . . . . . . . 40Hyperledger: A Consortium for Enterprise Blockchain Solutions.. . . . . . . 41Smart Oracles: Bridging the Gap Between Blockchain and the Real World. . . 44Automated Contracts: The Role of Machine Learning. . . . . . . . . . . 49Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Exercise 3.1: Exploring Blockchain Technologies and AI Integration. . . . . . 55Exercise 3.2: Researching Deeper into Blockchain Technologies and AI Integration.. . . . 55Exercise 3.3: Comparing Blockchain Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . . . 55Exercise 3.4: Assessing the Impact and Future of Blockchain and AI.. . . . . 564 Quantum Computing and AI Agents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Quantum Mechanics in Computing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Qubits and Their Role in Quantum Computing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Quantum Entanglement and Parallelism.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Quantum Supremacy: The Race and the Reality. . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Quantum Algorithms: Shor’s Algorithm, Grover’s Algorithm.. . . . . . . . 64Implications for the Future.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Challenges and Future Directions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78Exercise 4.1: Understanding the Fundamentals of Quantum Computing. . . . 78Exercise 4.2: Probing Quantum Computing Concepts.. . . . . . . . . . . 79Exercise 4.3: Comparing Concepts in Quantum Computing. . . . . . . . . 80Exercise 4.4: Assessing the Impact and Applications ofQuantum Computing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Part II Convergence for Enhanced Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 835 Decentralized AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . 87The Next 10 Years: Accelerated Integration and Expansion (Present–2034).. . . 92The Next 20 Years: Transformation and Societal Impact (2034–2054). . . . . 93The Next 50 Years: A New Era of Digital Civilization (2054–2104). . . . . . . 95Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Exercise 5.1: Exploring AI-Blockchain Merging and Its Future Prospects.. . . 103Exercise 5.2: Assessing the Impact and Future of AI-Blockchain Integration.. . . 104Exercise 5.3: Exploring Innovations and Challenges in AI-Blockchain Synergy. . . 106Exercise 5.4: Assessing the Potential and Risks of AI-Blockchain Evolution. . . 1086 Quantum AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111Quantum Machine Learning Algorithms: Quantum Neural Networks.. . . . 113The Quantum Difference: Superposition and Entanglement.. . . . . . . . 115Architectures of Quantum Neural Networks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Opportunities and Challenges in Quantum AI Data Analysis.. . . . . . . . 120Quantum AI in Optimization Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Challenges in Quantum Data Analysis.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124Quantum Machine Learning Algorithms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127Quantum-Enhanced Deep Learning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130Quantum Learning Theories.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132Quantum Data Encoding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133Hybrid Quantum-Classical Algorithms.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134Advances in Quantum Error Correction.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Post-Quantum Cryptography.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136Quantum Advantage in Real-World Applications.. . . . . . . . . . . . 137Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142Exercise 6.1: Understanding Quantum Neural Networks andTheir Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142Exercise 6.2: The Impact of Quantum Computing on AI.. . . . . . . . . . 142Exercise 6.3: Examining Quantum Advancements in Various Sectors. . . . . 1427 Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . . 143Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143AI Agent Frameworks.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145The Integration of Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and AI Agents. . . . . 148Integrating AI Agents with Post-Quantum Cryptography: Lattice-Based and Hash-Based Algorithms.. . 150Post-Quantum Cryptography: Lattice-Based and Hash-Based Algorithms. . . 152Hash-Based Cryptography: Quantum-Resilient by Design.. . . . . . . . . 157Quantum Cryptography: BB84 and E91.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163Quantum Attacks and Security Proofs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163Integrating the Principles of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Cryptography into Blockchain Technologies. 168Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175Exercise 7.1: Understanding Quantum-Resilient Cryptography.. . . . . . . 175Exercise 7.2: Practical Application and Implications.. . . . . . . . . . . 175Part III Implications for Society and Ethics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1778 Ethics of AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Understanding the Ethical Considerations in AI.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 180Algorithms for Fairness in AI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Specific Algorithms Designed for Fairness.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183Privacy Concerns in Quantum Computing and Bias Reduction Techniques. . 190Evaluating Ethical Frameworks for Quantum Technologies.. . . . . . . . 193Recognizing the Broader Ethical Implications of AI and Quantum Technologies. . .193Reflecting on the Role of Policy and Regulation in AI and Quantum Computing.. . . 195Anticipating Future Ethical Challenges in AI and Quantum Computing. . . . 196Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201Exercise 8.1: Understanding Ethical AI and Quantum Computing.. . . . . . 2019 Legal Frameworks and Global Standards Shaping the Future Development of AI Agents. .203Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203Understanding the Regulatory Environment for AI Agents and Quantum Technologies.  . . . . . . 205International Standards for Blockchain Technology.. . . . . . . . . . . 206Assessing the Impact of Regulation on Quantum Computing.. . . . . . . 207Challenges in Regulating Emerging Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . . . 209Divergence in Technological Standards and Regulations: Focus on Asia.. . . 210International Bodies and Regulations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211Reflecting on the Balance Between Innovation and Regulation. . . . . . . 212The Future of AI, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. . . . . . . . . . 213Emerging Trends in AI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214Future Developments in Blockchain Technology.. . . . . . . . . . . . 215Advances in Quantum Computing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215Synergies Among Emerging Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Potential Disruptions Caused by Emerging Technologies. . . . . . . . . 217Ethical and Societal Implications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Future Challenges and Opportunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225Exercise 9.1: Regulatory Frameworks and Standards.. . . . . . . . . . . 225Exercise 9.2: Analyzing International and Regulatory Challenges. . . . . . 22510 Societal Impact and the Rise of Autonomous AI Systems.. . . . . . . 227Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227Investigating the Impact of AI on Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228Integrating AI into Military Autonomous Systems.. . . . . . . . . . . . 229Utilizing AI in Autonomous Vehicles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231Applying AI in Healthcare Systems.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Assessing the Influence of Quantum Computing on Industries.. . . . . . . 234Recognizing the Challenges of Implementing AI Autonomous Systems.. . . 235Analyzing the Economic and Social Implications of AI and Quantum Computing.. .  . 237Predicting Future Trends in Autonomous Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . 238Reflecting on the Need for Responsible Development. . . . . . . . . . 238Understanding the Evolution of Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 240Addressing Future Challenges in AI, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. . . 240Exploring Future Opportunities in AI, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. . 241Examining Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications of Emerging Technologies. . 242Preparing for an AI-Integrated Future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243Engaging with Emerging Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244Providing a Forward-Looking Perspective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245Fictional Story (Part 2): The Story of Jovan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253Exercise 10.1: Exploring AI and Quantum Computing’s Societal Impacts. . . 253Exercise 10.2: Detailed Analysis of AI in Specific Sectors. . . . . . . . . . 254Exercise 10.3: Reviewing Key Technological Advancements. . . . . . . . 254Exercise 10.4: Reflecting on the Evolution of Technologies. . . . . . . . . 254Exercise 10.5: Anticipating Future Challenges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255Exercise 10.6: Recognizing Future Opportunities.. . . . . . . . . . . . 255Exercise 10.7: Assessing Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications. . . . . . 256Exercise 10.8: Preparing for an AI-Integrated Future. . . . . . . . . . . 256Exercise 10.9: Engaging with Emerging Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . 257Exercise 10.10: Concluding with a Forward-Looking Perspective. . . . . . 257Test Your Skills Answers.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259  9780135352946, TOC, 11/7/2024

Dr. Petar Radanliev is a Professional Masters Programme Project Supervisor in AI and cybersecurity at the University of Oxford’s Department of Computer Science. Previously, he was a research associate in AI and cybersecurity at the University of Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science. He earned his PhD in 2013 and conducted post-doctoral research at Imperial College London, the University of Cambridge, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His primary research areas encompass artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, post-quantum security, and blockchain security. Before his academic career, Petar spent ten years as a cybersecurity manager for RBS--the largest bank in the world at the time, and five years as a lead penetration tester for the Ministry for Defence.

• Preface.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvPart I Foundations of Advanced Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Introduction to AI Agents, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing.. . . . 3Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Fictional Story (Part 1): The Story of Jovan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4The Foundations of AI Agents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Technological Innovations That Shape the Development of AI Agents:AI/ML, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6The Convergence.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 The Advance of Artificial Intelligence into AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . 19Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19The Rise of Neural Networks and Deep Learning.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Reinforcement Learning: Learning Through Interaction. . . . . . . . . . 24Q-Learning: An Off-Policy RL Algorithm.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Neural Turing Machines: Bridging AI and Memory.. . . . . . . . . . . . 30Future Directions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333 Digital Trust in AI Agents and Blockchain Technologies. . . . . . . . 37Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37The Essence of Blockchain as a Distributed Ledger.. . . . . . . . . . . . 39Ethereum and the Evolution of Blockchain Ecosystems.. . . . . . . . . . 40Hyperledger: A Consortium for Enterprise Blockchain Solutions.. . . . . . . 41Smart Oracles: Bridging the Gap Between Blockchain and the Real World. . . 44Automated Contracts: The Role of Machine Learning. . . . . . . . . . . 49Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Exercise 3.1: Exploring Blockchain Technologies and AI Integration. . . . . . 55Exercise 3.2: Researching Deeper into Blockchain Technologies and AI Integration.. . . . 55Exercise 3.3: Comparing Blockchain Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . . . 55Exercise 3.4: Assessing the Impact and Future of Blockchain and AI.. . . . . 564 Quantum Computing and AI Agents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Quantum Mechanics in Computing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Qubits and Their Role in Quantum Computing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Quantum Entanglement and Parallelism.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Quantum Supremacy: The Race and the Reality. . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Quantum Algorithms: Shor’s Algorithm, Grover’s Algorithm.. . . . . . . . 64Implications for the Future.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Challenges and Future Directions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78Exercise 4.1: Understanding the Fundamentals of Quantum Computing. . . . 78Exercise 4.2: Probing Quantum Computing Concepts.. . . . . . . . . . . 79Exercise 4.3: Comparing Concepts in Quantum Computing. . . . . . . . . 80Exercise 4.4: Assessing the Impact and Applications ofQuantum Computing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Part II Convergence for Enhanced Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 835 Decentralized AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . 87The Next 10 Years: Accelerated Integration and Expansion (Present–2034).. . . 92The Next 20 Years: Transformation and Societal Impact (2034–2054). . . . . 93The Next 50 Years: A New Era of Digital Civilization (2054–2104). . . . . . . 95Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Exercise 5.1: Exploring AI-Blockchain Merging and Its Future Prospects.. . . 103Exercise 5.2: Assessing the Impact and Future of AI-Blockchain Integration.. . . 104Exercise 5.3: Exploring Innovations and Challenges in AI-Blockchain Synergy. . . 106Exercise 5.4: Assessing the Potential and Risks of AI-Blockchain Evolution. . . 1086 Quantum AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111Quantum Machine Learning Algorithms: Quantum Neural Networks.. . . . 113The Quantum Difference: Superposition and Entanglement.. . . . . . . . 115Architectures of Quantum Neural Networks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Opportunities and Challenges in Quantum AI Data Analysis.. . . . . . . . 120Quantum AI in Optimization Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Challenges in Quantum Data Analysis.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124Quantum Machine Learning Algorithms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127Quantum-Enhanced Deep Learning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130Quantum Learning Theories.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132Quantum Data Encoding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133Hybrid Quantum-Classical Algorithms.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134Advances in Quantum Error Correction.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Post-Quantum Cryptography.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136Quantum Advantage in Real-World Applications.. . . . . . . . . . . . 137Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142Exercise 6.1: Understanding Quantum Neural Networks andTheir Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142Exercise 6.2: The Impact of Quantum Computing on AI.. . . . . . . . . . 142Exercise 6.3: Examining Quantum Advancements in Various Sectors. . . . . 1427 Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . . 143Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143AI Agent Frameworks.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145The Integration of Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and AI Agents. . . . . 148Integrating AI Agents with Post-Quantum Cryptography: Lattice-Based and Hash-Based Algorithms.. . 150Post-Quantum Cryptography: Lattice-Based and Hash-Based Algorithms. . . 152Hash-Based Cryptography: Quantum-Resilient by Design.. . . . . . . . . 157Quantum Cryptography: BB84 and E91.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163Quantum Attacks and Security Proofs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163Integrating the Principles of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Cryptography into Blockchain Technologies. 168Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175Exercise 7.1: Understanding Quantum-Resilient Cryptography.. . . . . . . 175Exercise 7.2: Practical Application and Implications.. . . . . . . . . . . 175Part III Implications for Society and Ethics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1778 Ethics of AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Understanding the Ethical Considerations in AI.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 180Algorithms for Fairness in AI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Specific Algorithms Designed for Fairness.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183Privacy Concerns in Quantum Computing and Bias Reduction Techniques. . 190Evaluating Ethical Frameworks for Quantum Technologies.. . . . . . . . 193Recognizing the Broader Ethical Implications of AI and Quantum Technologies. . .193Reflecting on the Role of Policy and Regulation in AI and Quantum Computing.. . . 195Anticipating Future Ethical Challenges in AI and Quantum Computing. . . . 196Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201Exercise 8.1: Understanding Ethical AI and Quantum Computing.. . . . . . 2019 Legal Frameworks and Global Standards Shaping the Future Development of AI Agents. .203Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203Understanding the Regulatory Environment for AI Agents and Quantum Technologies.  . . . . . . 205International Standards for Blockchain Technology.. . . . . . . . . . . 206Assessing the Impact of Regulation on Quantum Computing.. . . . . . . 207Challenges in Regulating Emerging Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . . . 209Divergence in Technological Standards and Regulations: Focus on Asia.. . . 210International Bodies and Regulations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211Reflecting on the Balance Between Innovation and Regulation. . . . . . . 212The Future of AI, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. . . . . . . . . . 213Emerging Trends in AI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214Future Developments in Blockchain Technology.. . . . . . . . . . . . 215Advances in Quantum Computing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215Synergies Among Emerging Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Potential Disruptions Caused by Emerging Technologies. . . . . . . . . 217Ethical and Societal Implications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Future Challenges and Opportunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225Exercise 9.1: Regulatory Frameworks and Standards.. . . . . . . . . . . 225Exercise 9.2: Analyzing International and Regulatory Challenges. . . . . . 22510 Societal Impact and the Rise of Autonomous AI Systems.. . . . . . . 227Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227Investigating the Impact of AI on Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228Integrating AI into Military Autonomous Systems.. . . . . . . . . . . . 229Utilizing AI in Autonomous Vehicles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231Applying AI in Healthcare Systems.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Assessing the Influence of Quantum Computing on Industries.. . . . . . . 234Recognizing the Challenges of Implementing AI Autonomous Systems.. . . 235Analyzing the Economic and Social Implications of AI and Quantum Computing.. .  . 237Predicting Future Trends in Autonomous Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . 238Reflecting on the Need for Responsible Development. . . . . . . . . . 238Understanding the Evolution of Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 240Addressing Future Challenges in AI, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. . . 240Exploring Future Opportunities in AI, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. . 241Examining Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications of Emerging Technologies. . 242Preparing for an AI-Integrated Future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243Engaging with Emerging Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244Providing a Forward-Looking Perspective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245Fictional Story (Part 2): The Story of Jovan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253Exercise 10.1: Exploring AI and Quantum Computing’s Societal Impacts. . . 253Exercise 10.2: Detailed Analysis of AI in Specific Sectors. . . . . . . . . . 254Exercise 10.3: Reviewing Key Technological Advancements. . . . . . . . 254Exercise 10.4: Reflecting on the Evolution of Technologies. . . . . . . . . 254Exercise 10.5: Anticipating Future Challenges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255Exercise 10.6: Recognizing Future Opportunities.. . . . . . . . . . . . 255Exercise 10.7: Assessing Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications. . . . . . 256Exercise 10.8: Preparing for an AI-Integrated Future. . . . . . . . . . . 256Exercise 10.9: Engaging with Emerging Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . 257Exercise 10.10: Concluding with a Forward-Looking Perspective. . . . . . 257Test Your Skills Answers.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259  9780135352946, TOC, 11/7/2024

Dr. Petar Radanliev is a Professional Masters Programme Project Supervisor in AI and cybersecurity at the University of Oxford’s Department of Computer Science. Previously, he was a research associate in AI and cybersecurity at the University of Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science. He earned his PhD in 2013 and conducted post-doctoral research at Imperial College London, the University of Cambridge, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His primary research areas encompass artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, post-quantum security, and blockchain security. Before his academic career, Petar spent ten years as a cybersecurity manager for RBS--the largest bank in the world at the time, and five years as a lead penetration tester for the Ministry for Defence.

• Preface.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvPart I Foundations of Advanced Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Introduction to AI Agents, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing.. . . . 3Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Fictional Story (Part 1): The Story of Jovan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4The Foundations of AI Agents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Technological Innovations That Shape the Development of AI Agents:AI/ML, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6The Convergence.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 The Advance of Artificial Intelligence into AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . 19Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19The Rise of Neural Networks and Deep Learning.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Reinforcement Learning: Learning Through Interaction. . . . . . . . . . 24Q-Learning: An Off-Policy RL Algorithm.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Neural Turing Machines: Bridging AI and Memory.. . . . . . . . . . . . 30Future Directions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333 Digital Trust in AI Agents and Blockchain Technologies. . . . . . . . 37Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37The Essence of Blockchain as a Distributed Ledger.. . . . . . . . . . . . 39Ethereum and the Evolution of Blockchain Ecosystems.. . . . . . . . . . 40Hyperledger: A Consortium for Enterprise Blockchain Solutions.. . . . . . . 41Smart Oracles: Bridging the Gap Between Blockchain and the Real World. . . 44Automated Contracts: The Role of Machine Learning. . . . . . . . . . . 49Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Exercise 3.1: Exploring Blockchain Technologies and AI Integration. . . . . . 55Exercise 3.2: Researching Deeper into Blockchain Technologies and AI Integration.. . . . 55Exercise 3.3: Comparing Blockchain Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . . . 55Exercise 3.4: Assessing the Impact and Future of Blockchain and AI.. . . . . 564 Quantum Computing and AI Agents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Quantum Mechanics in Computing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Qubits and Their Role in Quantum Computing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Quantum Entanglement and Parallelism.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Quantum Supremacy: The Race and the Reality. . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Quantum Algorithms: Shor’s Algorithm, Grover’s Algorithm.. . . . . . . . 64Implications for the Future.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Challenges and Future Directions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78Exercise 4.1: Understanding the Fundamentals of Quantum Computing. . . . 78Exercise 4.2: Probing Quantum Computing Concepts.. . . . . . . . . . . 79Exercise 4.3: Comparing Concepts in Quantum Computing. . . . . . . . . 80Exercise 4.4: Assessing the Impact and Applications ofQuantum Computing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Part II Convergence for Enhanced Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 835 Decentralized AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . 87The Next 10 Years: Accelerated Integration and Expansion (Present–2034).. . . 92The Next 20 Years: Transformation and Societal Impact (2034–2054). . . . . 93The Next 50 Years: A New Era of Digital Civilization (2054–2104). . . . . . . 95Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Exercise 5.1: Exploring AI-Blockchain Merging and Its Future Prospects.. . . 103Exercise 5.2: Assessing the Impact and Future of AI-Blockchain Integration.. . . 104Exercise 5.3: Exploring Innovations and Challenges in AI-Blockchain Synergy. . . 106Exercise 5.4: Assessing the Potential and Risks of AI-Blockchain Evolution. . . 1086 Quantum AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111Quantum Machine Learning Algorithms: Quantum Neural Networks.. . . . 113The Quantum Difference: Superposition and Entanglement.. . . . . . . . 115Architectures of Quantum Neural Networks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Opportunities and Challenges in Quantum AI Data Analysis.. . . . . . . . 120Quantum AI in Optimization Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Challenges in Quantum Data Analysis.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124Quantum Machine Learning Algorithms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127Quantum-Enhanced Deep Learning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130Quantum Learning Theories.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132Quantum Data Encoding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133Hybrid Quantum-Classical Algorithms.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134Advances in Quantum Error Correction.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Post-Quantum Cryptography.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136Quantum Advantage in Real-World Applications.. . . . . . . . . . . . 137Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142Exercise 6.1: Understanding Quantum Neural Networks andTheir Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142Exercise 6.2: The Impact of Quantum Computing on AI.. . . . . . . . . . 142Exercise 6.3: Examining Quantum Advancements in Various Sectors. . . . . 1427 Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . . 143Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143AI Agent Frameworks.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145The Integration of Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and AI Agents. . . . . 148Integrating AI Agents with Post-Quantum Cryptography: Lattice-Based and Hash-Based Algorithms.. . 150Post-Quantum Cryptography: Lattice-Based and Hash-Based Algorithms. . . 152Hash-Based Cryptography: Quantum-Resilient by Design.. . . . . . . . . 157Quantum Cryptography: BB84 and E91.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163Quantum Attacks and Security Proofs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163Integrating the Principles of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Cryptography into Blockchain Technologies. 168Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175Exercise 7.1: Understanding Quantum-Resilient Cryptography.. . . . . . . 175Exercise 7.2: Practical Application and Implications.. . . . . . . . . . . 175Part III Implications for Society and Ethics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1778 Ethics of AI Agents.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Understanding the Ethical Considerations in AI.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 180Algorithms for Fairness in AI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Specific Algorithms Designed for Fairness.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183Privacy Concerns in Quantum Computing and Bias Reduction Techniques. . 190Evaluating Ethical Frameworks for Quantum Technologies.. . . . . . . . 193Recognizing the Broader Ethical Implications of AI and Quantum Technologies. . .193Reflecting on the Role of Policy and Regulation in AI and Quantum Computing.. . . 195Anticipating Future Ethical Challenges in AI and Quantum Computing. . . . 196Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201Exercise 8.1: Understanding Ethical AI and Quantum Computing.. . . . . . 2019 Legal Frameworks and Global Standards Shaping the Future Development of AI Agents. .203Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203Understanding the Regulatory Environment for AI Agents and Quantum Technologies.  . . . . . . 205International Standards for Blockchain Technology.. . . . . . . . . . . 206Assessing the Impact of Regulation on Quantum Computing.. . . . . . . 207Challenges in Regulating Emerging Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . . . 209Divergence in Technological Standards and Regulations: Focus on Asia.. . . 210International Bodies and Regulations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211Reflecting on the Balance Between Innovation and Regulation. . . . . . . 212The Future of AI, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. . . . . . . . . . 213Emerging Trends in AI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214Future Developments in Blockchain Technology.. . . . . . . . . . . . 215Advances in Quantum Computing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215Synergies Among Emerging Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Potential Disruptions Caused by Emerging Technologies. . . . . . . . . 217Ethical and Societal Implications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Future Challenges and Opportunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225Exercise 9.1: Regulatory Frameworks and Standards.. . . . . . . . . . . 225Exercise 9.2: Analyzing International and Regulatory Challenges. . . . . . 22510 Societal Impact and the Rise of Autonomous AI Systems.. . . . . . . 227Chapter Objectives.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227Investigating the Impact of AI on Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228Integrating AI into Military Autonomous Systems.. . . . . . . . . . . . 229Utilizing AI in Autonomous Vehicles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231Applying AI in Healthcare Systems.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Assessing the Influence of Quantum Computing on Industries.. . . . . . . 234Recognizing the Challenges of Implementing AI Autonomous Systems.. . . 235Analyzing the Economic and Social Implications of AI and Quantum Computing.. .  . 237Predicting Future Trends in Autonomous Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . 238Reflecting on the Need for Responsible Development. . . . . . . . . . 238Understanding the Evolution of Technologies.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 240Addressing Future Challenges in AI, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. . . 240Exploring Future Opportunities in AI, Blockchain, and Quantum Computing. . 241Examining Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications of Emerging Technologies. . 242Preparing for an AI-Integrated Future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243Engaging with Emerging Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244Providing a Forward-Looking Perspective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245Fictional Story (Part 2): The Story of Jovan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247Test Your Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249Exercises.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253Exercise 10.1: Exploring AI and Quantum Computing’s Societal Impacts. . . 253Exercise 10.2: Detailed Analysis of AI in Specific Sectors. . . . . . . . . . 254Exercise 10.3: Reviewing Key Technological Advancements. . . . . . . . 254Exercise 10.4: Reflecting on the Evolution of Technologies. . . . . . . . . 254Exercise 10.5: Anticipating Future Challenges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255Exercise 10.6: Recognizing Future Opportunities.. . . . . . . . . . . . 255Exercise 10.7: Assessing Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications. . . . . . 256Exercise 10.8: Preparing for an AI-Integrated Future. . . . . . . . . . . 256Exercise 10.9: Engaging with Emerging Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . 257Exercise 10.10: Concluding with a Forward-Looking Perspective. . . . . . 257Test Your Skills Answers.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259  9780135352946, TOC, 11/7/2024