** Introduction **

The cryptocurrency application Bitcoin, proposed back in 2009, availed the potential of Blockchain (BC) as a promising technology for hundreds of foundational applications, including Smart Systems, IoT, e-Health, supply chain, and digital identity. One of the solid properties of BC is its high security guarantees in classical fully distributed systems, which can be challenged by Machine Learning (ML) solutions. However, the recent advances in the field of Quantum Computing (QC), derived basically from the concepts of quantum mechanics revealed several security risks on BC-based solutions. Many proposals attempted to address these risks by improving BC methods, including infrastructure, data structure, cryptography, networking, etc. targeting the so-called post-quantum blockchains. On the other hand, QC and ML can also be used for the optimization of BC methods and configurations, leading to quantum and smart blockchain principles that can see the light once quantum computers are commercialized. Papers submitted to this special session are expected to study and investigate BC-based infrastructure management, services and applications. We also aim at focusing on special ML and QC aspects and potential for strengthening, attacking, and protecting BC-based solutions.

The topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Blockchain-based infrastructure management, services and applications
• ML for advanced blockchains, quantum computing, or both, including integrated QML algorithms for smart blockchains and AI-enabled post-quantum blockchains
• Quantum and ML methods (e.g. Formal methods, Software, Hardware, Evolutionary algorithms, etc.) for optimizing blockchains in terms of energy efficiency, latency, (cyber)security, privacy, etc.
• Quantum and ML algorithms for attacking layered blockchain systems/applications (e.g. Infrastructure, Data structure, Smart Contracts, APIs, etc.)
• Blockchain applicable quantum methods, for approaching post-quantum blockhains including cryptography, networking, hardware-based mechanisms, etc.
• Testing methods and algorithms for blockchains under the assumption of quantum/ML enabled attackers.
• Advancements of ML mechanisms for developing robust post-quantum blockchains.
• Integration approaches of ML-BC, QC-BC, and ML-QC-BC systems.
• Any other relevant topic that targets Blockchain optimization and/or security.

** Important dates **

Deadline for paper submission: 20th October 2024
Acceptance notification: 2nd December 2024
Camera ready paper due: 27th January 2025
Conference: 12-14th March, 2025


** Submission guidelines **

Prospective authors should submit a full paper not exceeding 8 pages in length (and in the IEEE Conference proceedings format – IEEEtran, double column, 10pt) including a 150-200 word abstract. To facilitate an anonymous reviewing process, the first page of the paper should contain only the title and abstract (i.e., no author names and affiliations should be included) and reference entries to the author’s own work should be substituted with the string “omitted for blind review”.

Papers submitted for this special session must be submitted through the conference submission system with an indication of the name of the special session. Papers must adhere to the formatting rules of the conference and will undergo the same review process as other papers submitted to the conference.

Proceedings will be published by Conference Publishing Services (CPS) in the same volume as the main conference proceedings. Authors of accepted papers are expected to register and present the paper at the Conference.

**Organization**

Tentative Program Committee (TBD)

Session Chairs:
Session Co-Chair: Attila Kertesz, University of Szeged, Hungary
Session Co-Chair: Hamza Baniata, University of Szeged, Hungary

Contacts:
• Dr Attila Kertesz, Department of Software Engineering, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Arpad ter 2, Hungary, email: keratt@inf.u-szeged.hu
• Dr Hamza Baniata, Department of Software Engineering, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Arpad ter 2, Hungary, email: baniatah@inf.u-szeged.hu