Vitalik Buterin dismisses AI-driven crash theories for Bitcoin

The debate stems from a forecast by investor Liron Shapira, who suggested that AI could undermine the perceived security of the Bitcoin network, potentially triggering a 50% price collapse within two years. Buterin dismissed this outlook, asserting that the probability of a direct cryptographic break—such as a failure of Bitcoin’s SHA-256 hash function or proof-of-work mechanism—remains negligible. He contends that while AI might assist attackers in identifying vulnerabilities in mining infrastructure or node software, these issues can be addressed through standard software updates without requiring widespread social consensus.

Buterin views the primary challenge not as a collapse of underlying cryptography, but as a difficult transition period where both attackers and defenders race to leverage increasingly powerful AI tools. This perspective aligns with recent efforts by industry groups, including the Bitcoin Policy Institute, which have urged AI laboratories to grant security researchers early access to advanced models. The goal is to ensure defenders remain as equipped as potential exploiters to patch code and test infrastructure. While incidents like the recent COLDCARD wallet entropy vulnerability demonstrate that custody and software flaws pose real risks, they remain distinct from a fundamental breach of Bitcoin’s consensus rules.