The gap between AI research progress in 2026 and zero-knowledge proof advances from 2021 is massive—honestly, it's not even comparable anymore. What's wild is how every minor algorithmic tweak or optimization now gets dressed up in sophisticated academic terminology. The speed of iteration in AI has completely outpaced the research cycle we saw with ZK tech a few years back. Small incremental improvements that would've gone unnoticed now come wrapped in fancy papers and formal frameworks. It's a reflection of how much resources and attention have shifted into the AI space.