[user104658]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

I think travel will be accomplished using AI and downloading consciousness to a destination body rather than requiring actual physical travel. So it follows that we "only" need to communicate with aliens

The transmission of data is still limited to the speed of light, so 5+ years to the nearest star, potentially thousands of years to the nearest intelligent life. Also consider coordinating the effort with centuries if not millenia between messages back and forth.

I like the theory of quantum entanglement communication being possible (which would in theory be instant - we don't even understand why yet but have observed the effect) BUT even then, initial contact would have to be non-quantum to set up any such quantum entanglement, as I understand it. The "entanglement" has to happen at the same location, but then the particles remain in sync no matter how far you move them from each other (in theory, including lightyears apart). But yeah... The issue is how do you make first contact.