Researcher suggests AI may decentralize just as Bitcoin mining turns industrial

Bitcoin and artificial intelligence appear to be moving in opposite directions regarding how their power is distributed.

Galaxy Research head Alex Thorn pointed out on Sunday that Bitcoin mining, which started on simple home computers, now mostly happens in massive industrial warehouses using specialized gear. AI, however, may take the reverse route. 

While AI currently lives in giant, restricted data centers, Thorn believes open-source progress is closing the gap as major models hit limits in memory and data. 

“If local models keep getting smaller, cheaper, and more efficient, AI may become increasingly personal and on-device,” he noted.

Localized computing on the rise

Grand View Research estimates the global market for “Edge AI”—technology that runs locally on gadgets rather than through a central cloud—will reach $119 billion by 2033. 

This represents a jump from roughly $25 billion expected in 2025. The growth stems from the explosion of connected devices and a need for instant data processing that does not rely on a distant server.

Market analysts at GVR attributed this momentum to the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT). Industry trends show a “rising focus on data privacy and localized intelligence at the network edge,” which allows companies to automate tasks without sending sensitive information to a central hub.

Mining moves to the Global South

A separate report from the crypto exchange KuCoin on Friday showed that while Bitcoin hardware is harder for individuals to own, the locations of these machines are spreading out globally. 

High electricity prices in the United States have made mining unprofitable in certain regions, with costs to produce a single coin sometimes exceeding $100,000.

Operators are now seeking cheaper energy in places like Ethiopia and Paraguay, where hydroelectric power is plentiful. Such a move helps protect the network by ensuring it isn’t tied to the politics or power grids of just one or two nations. 

According to KuCoin, “this decentralization of mining power across different continents enhances the security of the network by making it less vulnerable to any single country’s political or environmental shocks.”