AI Data Centers Competing for Power, Impacting Bitcoin Mining? Miners Pivot to AI Sparks Security Debate

Gate News Report, March 16 — As the global AI data center construction boom heats up, whether Bitcoin mining will be impacted has become a industry hot topic. Some market analysts believe that miners shifting to AI computing could weaken Bitcoin network security, while others argue that Bitcoin’s difficulty adjustment mechanism can automatically restore network balance.

Crypto market commentator Ran Neuner states that AI data centers are becoming major competitors to Bitcoin mining. Both rely heavily on electricity, but AI computing is willing to pay higher energy costs. Data shows that Bitcoin mining earns about $57 to $129 per megawatt, while AI data centers can reach $200 to $500, prompting some mining companies to pivot toward AI infrastructure.

Recently, several mining firms have shown signs of transformation. For example, Core Scientific secured about $1 billion in AI hosting credit; MARA Holdings submitted documents to regulators indicating potential sale of some Bitcoin assets to develop AI business; Hut 8 previously partnered with Google on approximately $7 billion AI infrastructure projects. Additionally, Cipher Mining has reduced some hash rate to invest in AI computing.

However, the Bitcoin tech community holds differing views. Cryptographer Adam Back points out that Bitcoin has an automatic difficulty adjustment mechanism. When some miners exit, the difficulty decreases, increasing profitability for remaining miners and attracting hash power back.

Meanwhile, industry data shows that since the hash rate peak in October 2025, Bitcoin network hash rate has declined by about 14.5%. Some analysts believe this decline could increase the risk of 51% attacks, but energy expert Daniel Batten states that Bitcoin mining can utilize idle energy and serve as a load balancing tool for power grids, so it is not entirely in competition with AI hash power.

Market observers believe that Bitcoin price trends remain a key variable. If Bitcoin prices continue to rise, increased mining rewards could attract hash power back. Data shows that despite months of pressure, Bitcoin prices have risen about 8% since March 2026, and the competition between mining and AI hash power continues to evolve.