Bitcoin Firms Demand Early Access to Advanced AI Models

Bitcoin and cryptocurrency companies are urging major AI labs to provide open-source security researchers with early access to their most advanced AI models. A letter signed by over three dozen firms, including Coinbase and Block, highlights that defenders of bitcoin infrastructure currently use weaker tools than attackers, who face no such restrictions. The letter points out that Bitcoin Core developers are excluded from trusted-partner programs and that public AI models have safety filters that hinder security research.

The firms request early access to strong AI models, sufficient computing resources, secure testing environments, eligibility for small maintainers, and direct communication with AI lab security teams. This call comes after recent exploits on bitcoin-related software, underscoring the need for better defensive tools against increasingly sophisticated attacks powered by AI.