Could AI Be the Next Threat to Bitcoin’s Decentralization?

[Zoomic]

No, it's never going to happen. In the case of mining, AI might become a very useful tool for miners, helping them mine faster and with lower energy consumption. Any miner that achieves this already has an unfair advantage. This could also mean that they will be controlling a larger part of Bitcoin mining. However, despite this, Bitcoin's decentralization still remains intact, as Satoshi has already given the power to the Bitcoin community to develop measures to fight all forms of centralization attempts by single individuals through its open-source system.

The worst any big player can do to Bitcoin is simply manipulation and nothing else. Therefore, there is really no need being bothered over what isn't going to happen.

[hero_the_bossman]

^ Shortly - less concerns, more action and tech-wise options for the people and pools.

[ABCbits]

--snip--
AI is just a technological program that is instructed to perform humans activities either in or absence of humans aid.
No one knows how Satoshi Nakamoto coded the program of bitcoin and believing it blockchain is built on the highily system of impeding  any ratio of breakdown with the attempts of manipulations.

Isn't the code available under an open MIT license?

You're right. Bitcoin Core always use MIT license, even back when it's initially created by Satoshi. In addition, Bitcoin Core isn't the only full node software out there which is further proof that other people can understand Bitcoin protocol.

[betswift]

You're right. Bitcoin Core always use MIT license, even back when it's initially created by Satoshi. In addition, Bitcoin Core isn't the only full node software out there which is further proof that other people can understand Bitcoin protocol.

It's the question of whether one is determined to get into the code part and understand it, so, yeah.

It's possible, but not without the needed background, in my opinion.

[Ucy]

AI use is welcomed as long as it does not try to violate the fair rules that govern the Bitcoin system or evade scrutiny. It has to follow the rules, and other nodes will monitor it to make sure rules are followed. This is basically part of what makes a system/network decentralized. Power and control are in the hands of everyone (who can join the network and leave at will, with little to no restrictions) rather than one or few privileged people who could just do whatever they want and no one will dare question or stop them.
So, the activities of nodes runners, miners and DAO would need to be under constant review by the network, everyone or community members, like the Bitcoin nodes do, to prevent any form of lawlessness and possible take over by entities like AI. But I think the humans will be smart enough to develop system that are capable of reviewing and catching any rogue AI since it's transparent and community-driven system that anyone can contribute to

And it's important to note that no such thing as mining centralization in Bitcoin really exists  If one person (or entity) could take over Bitcoin mining he won't be allowed to do whatever he wants by the rest of the Bitcoin Network. .

[qwertyup23]

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape entire industries — and crypto is no exception.

On the one hand, AI can improve efficiency, trading, even security audits.
But on the other hand… what happens when large AI-driven entities begin dominating mining, node operation, or even governance decisions in DAO-based Bitcoin side projects?

The emergence of AI is both a boon and a bane- some use it as a supportive tool in improving their all-around efficiency; while others use AI in degenerative manner, taking advantage of fake pictures, etc.

I do believe that AI has the power to make everything efficient but they cannot replace the workhorse of human application and knowledge.

Could the rise of AI contradict Bitcoin’s core principle: decentralization?

Nope- the use of AI has nothing to do with decentralization.

Can it manipulate narratives and markets at scale?

I do not think so. AI has nothing to do with manipulating market narratives. Again, view AI as a supportive tool in aiding humans to make everything more convenient and efficient.

Could we eventually see AI-designed chains trying to “out-Bitcoin” Bitcoin?.

I also do not think so.

Bitcoin is unique in its own way and I really doubt that there will be an altcoin that can outperform bitcoin by applying AI technologies. Bitcoin will always be the progenitor- the mother and birth of all cryptocurrencies.

Would love to hear thoughts — does AI pose a real threat to Bitcoin’s future, or is it just another tool we’ll adapt to like everything else?

Nope. Rather than a threat, it will be more of an advantage to the development of altcoins that will ultimately contribute to the success of cryptocurrencies as a whole.

[Oluwa-btc]

You seem to be worrying too much about something that has nothing to do with it. AI and Bitcoin are not related in any way. No matter how advanced AI is, it will not affect the decentralization of Bitcoin—because decentralization is something that is already built into Bitcoin and AI cannot interfere with it. AI technology is only useful if someone wants to use it to automate their trading or investing in Bitcoin, otherwise no, AI cannot interfere with Bitcoin.

Honestly,I don't wish to see AI integration having any connections with Bitcoin affairs.
It'll be really outrageous to see Bitcoin transactions and mining process to be completely dominated whereby leading Bitcoin to an extinct decentralization era.It should be clear to us that AI emergence in partnership with Bitcoin can compromise the decentralized nature of Bitcoin.

[Stepstowealth]

does AI pose a real threat to Bitcoin’s future, or is it just another tool we’ll adapt to like everything else?

So long as that Artificial intelligence falls under human programming, it will not be a complete threat to Bitcoin. I am considering things like it being able to predict seed phrases et cetera. but I do not think that will happen since humans have not been able to do so as well too. My general idea about this is that it will just become a tool that we would use to become more efficient and some other persons it will be a tool that will lead them to becoming more lazy and less productive.

[Abiky]

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape entire industries — and crypto is no exception.

On the one hand, AI can improve efficiency, trading, even security audits.
But on the other hand… what happens when large AI-driven entities begin dominating mining, node operation, or even governance decisions in DAO-based Bitcoin side projects?

Could the rise of AI contradict Bitcoin’s core principle: decentralization?

Could AI centralize mining pools further?

Can it manipulate narratives and markets at scale?

Could we eventually see AI-designed chains trying to “out-Bitcoin” Bitcoin?

Would love to hear thoughts — does AI pose a real threat to Bitcoin’s future, or is it just another tool we’ll adapt to like everything else?

How so? As far as I know, AI isn't self-aware yet. It relies on commands (prompts) inputted by a user. Worse-case scenario, AI finds a way to mine Bitcoin on its own and manages to control a sizeable portion of the network's hashrate (raising the risk of a 51% attack). But this is very unlikely to happen anytime soon. Bitcoin is an open source cryptocurrency, so it'll be easy to tweak it against AI threats. With a community-approved hard fork (or soft fork), Bitcoin will remain as secure and reliable as usual. Not even Quantum computers stand a chance against Bitcoin.

The real threat to Bitcoin's decentralization is not AI, but Wall Street. You can see institutional investment companies (eg: BlackRock, Strategy) amassing large amounts of the circulating supply. How isn't this concerning to anyone? Considering that most people don't give a damn about Bitcoin's decentralization, we should expect things to get worse in the long run. We'll see what happens in the future.

[Darker45]

First off, AI doesn't act on its own. It can only be used by people. So, it's not AI that's the threat should it be used against Bitcoin in the future; it's anti-Bitcoin people. If so, then the opposite could also be true, that AI can be used by pro-Bitcoin people as well.

If AI can improve mining, then, rather than a threat to Bitcoin's decentralization, it could even be used to boost it.

As to narratives, don't fret. Narratives can only do so much. They can't change reality. Whatever stories built around Bitcoin don't change a bit what Bitcoin is. Just don't trust right away; verify. So far, Bitcoin has survived all kinds of narratives.

As to the market, let everybody use whatever tools available to their advantage, AI included. The Bitcoin market is a free market. The Bitcoin market isn't Bitcoin.

AI-designed chains might be a thing in the future, but I don't see why it's a threat. Again, such capability could also be used in favor of Bitcoin.

[Wexnident]

~

A glorified search engine would never threaten decentralization. If outside of that there's actually something it provides, then rather than a thread I'd see it as something helpful since, well, it'd only help in developing stuff no? Right now I certainly don't think letting it handle anything related to security is a wise move. That's just a gold mine waiting for others to mine lol. And yes, it's 100% a tool, 100% we'll adopt. Heck, that's what most AI companies are moving forward to right now, increasing accuracy and effectivity, but only limited as a tool.

[boyptc]

Ever since I was new to Bitcoin, I've heard the same competitors and threats that were told that shall outsmart Bitcoin.

But where are they right now? None of them I can't even remember but sure, they've been there and now with AI, I don't think in all sense that it will become a threat to bitcoin's nature of being decentralized.

You know what was heard about it, the quantum's but are they really a threat?

[Abiky]

AI-designed chains might be a thing in the future, but I don't see why it's a threat. Again, such capability could also be used in favor of Bitcoin.

AI can design chains of its own. But will they last long enough? If there's lack of interest/demand among people, AI-generated chains won't survive. Even if they do, how would they pose a direct threat against Bitcoin? It doesn't make any sense.

What AI can do is manipulate the market in an attempt to crash Bitcoin's price all the way to $0. It would practically "kill it", since most people are only in it to make money. But the core Blockchain network will remain alive and running as usual. Decentralization-wise, only governments and "Wall Street" will pose a direct threat against it. People still hold most of the circulating supply (as well as run most of the nodes and miners), so I wouldn't worry about this in the time-being. Just my two sats.

[ranochigo]

Worse-case scenario, AI finds a way to mine Bitcoin on its own and manages to control a sizeable portion of the network's hashrate (raising the risk of a 51% attack). But this is very unlikely to happen anytime soon. Bitcoin is an open source cryptocurrency, so it'll be easy to tweak it against AI threats. With a community-approved hard fork (or soft fork), Bitcoin will remain as secure and reliable as usual. Not even Quantum computers stand a chance against Bitcoin.

That's not how AI work. AI cannot magically produce compute capabilities, or have the ability to mine Bitcoins, or do anything of that sorts. AI, as of now is very much misunderstood, and they are not like the Terminator movies. AI (or rather LLM as you know it), are designed on a huge corpus and are just fancy math. There is no chance that would take, over the world, or something.

AI can design chains of its own. But will they last long enough? If there's lack of interest/demand among people, AI-generated chains won't survive. Even if they do, how would they pose a direct threat against Bitcoin? It doesn't make any sense.

Can AI really design chains of its own? Or are they just a variation of a particular/combination of blockchains that we already have?

[ChiBitCTy]

Well thankfully for us, AI doesn’t exist and it doesn’t look like it’s going to exist anytime soon. It’s more likely that we will need to get to quantum computing before we are able to actually get to AI or as it’s properly called AGI. So no is not something that worries me at all at the current moment and I think when the time comes will be prepared for it.

[john_egbert]

Well thankfully for us, AI doesn’t exist and it doesn’t look like it’s going to exist anytime soon. It’s more likely that we will need to get to quantum computing before we are able to actually get to AI or as it’s properly called AGI. So no is not something that worries me at all at the current moment and I think when the time comes will be prepared for it.

And even then BTC will probably be quantum proof when this happens.

[RockBell]

So long as that Artificial intelligence falls under human programming, it will not be a complete threat to Bitcoin. I am considering things like it being able to predict seed phrases et cetera. but I do not think that will happen since humans have not been able to do so as well too. My general idea about this is that it will just become a tool that we would use to become more efficient and some other persons it will be a tool that will lead them to becoming more lazy and less productive.

And artificial intelligence has been in existence and it was there to exist to help people I don't see a way that AI can be a threat to Bitcoin because people don't want to even think about the initiative of AI threatening the market and the only thing I see that can happen is when you look at the whole situation you can not just depend on the whole thing fully because there people that make use of AI for trading and there comments that it is working for them.

But since it is a program and it can only operate with the command of a man don't think I have full assurance that you have a point that people become lazy because they will want to leave everything in the hands of AI, and you will still have to give a command to the AI, and the world that we are now people are trying to make things easy for them, they will not look at the disadvantage of using it to trade and I will prefer you the knowledge then make the trading your self.

[Botnake]

Yes, I do agree that AI could reshape any industry right now.

But to be a threat to Bitcoin's decentralization? How will it do it? I do not think it could manipulate everything in this market, from mining to blockchain. I think this is the core of Bitcoin, it's simple and yet it very hard to compromise or even broken even with the advancement of AI technology.

AI could be an edge in some industries but honestly speaking, crypto will never be threaten by AI nor the bitcoin’s decentralization. Remember that no group or entity will be able to manipulate bitcoin, same goes for AI where it’s only a tool, that until now its 100% efficiency is not yet proven.

Sure AI will improve in the next months or years, but seeing bitcoin remain to be decentralized, that something that no one can manipulate nor threat bitcoin.

[d5000]

There is no chance that would take, over the world, or something.

I generally agree, but there is some research on autonomous agents which interact with LLMs and could become more relevant for blockchains. For example, there's a capability called Autonomous Replication and Adaptation (ARA). It consists in the ability of an AI to launch other instances to perform sub-tasks to reach a goal. Current models like GPT-4 and its direct successors are far away from that capability, but this may change in 5-10 years. At first of course, the ARA-capable system would have to be instructed by a human.

How could this become relevant for Bitcoin and blockchains? I can imagine some scenarios -- none of them are catastrophic for Bitcoin. I have already mentioned some in my previous post.

One idea: Someone could create an ARA-capable system to influence the short term sentiment in social networks, e.g. creating new user accounts and publishing bullish or bearish information. This ARA could evaluate continuously if their actions were successful or not, and even learn from its mistakes. As mentioned before I don't think in the next 20 years such an artificial "sentiment manipulation system" would stay undetected for more than a couple of hours, but in this time it could eventually generate the information needed for the goal of the person who created the agent, i.e. a bullish or bearish price movement.

An even more "dystopic" idea is the possibility to try to break proof of stake systems. As an ARA with a LLM would have a lot of literature about consensus and the Byzantine Generals Problem at its disposition, it could systematically look for weaknesses, create simulations exploiting these weaknesses, test the attack on testnets, and finally crating a model to break a PoS blockchain.

Bitcoin's PoW is not affected because mining is based on simple hashing, it thus works fundamentally different than PoS validation which includes "weak subjectivity". Such an anti-PoS attack could include a social attack with identity theft, for example.

Can AI really design chains of its own? Or are they just a variation of a particular/combination of blockchains that we already have?

I think all possible blockchains are in some way variations of existing models. Even DAGs take elements of blockchains. And thus I think AIs indeed could design blockchains, as they have access to a lot of literature about consensus.

[ranochigo]

I generally agree, but there is some research on autonomous agents which interact with LLMs and could become more relevant for blockchains. For example, there's a capability called Autonomous Replication and Adaptation (ARA). It consists in the ability of an AI to launch other instances to perform sub-tasks to reach a goal. Current models like GPT-4 and its direct successors are far away from that capability, but this may change in 5-10 years. At first of course, the ARA-capable system would have to be instructed by a human.

That's interesting, I haven't had the liberty of time to take a look at it yet. Seems to be a less explored area of AI as of now, but possibly will change in the far future.

As it stands, I think AI has to overcome the barrier and we have to develop Agentic AI agents before that could become remotely a possibility. I think OpenAI's Operator is remotely similar to it, but I find it too different and lacking to be considered agentic. Any models having the ability to achieve artificial general intelligence would be good for a start.

I think all possible blockchains are in some way variations of existing models. Even DAGs take elements of blockchains. And thus I think AIs indeed could design blockchains, as they have access to a lot of literature about consensus.

In hindsight, I guess that wasn't the best phrasing. I meant that AIs are generally unable to reason in that level of intelligence yet, and it'll probably be a stretch to say that they can design chains of their own, because anyone can readily do so.