But I guess this is inevitable, so we'll just have to devise better solutions than the simple locks which in their working principles have not changed in the past 100+ years.
Great market opportunity around the corner I suppose.
Cutting through a chain is going to take much much longer. There are already quicker methods to cut or break bike chains and disable locks.
Also cutting with a laser requires very precise alignment with respect to distance. You won’t be free handing this. You’d need to mount it on a device capable of precisely adjusting the distance as you cut deeper into the metal.
Plus it’s relatively easy to engineer laser resistant materials.
For plasma and oxy-fuel cutting, the hot gases coming out the nozzle acts as the mass that blows it off. Air carbon arc gouging uses regular compressed air to push the molten material away. I imagine industrial laser cuttings dealing with anything larger then a few millimetres thick would use compressed air as well.
I doubt a smaller more efficient laser is going to change that reality.