Key facts
- Over 40 cryptocurrency companies have signed an open letter to major AI labs.
- The letter requests that AI labs establish or expand trusted-access programs for qualified defenders of open-source financial infrastructure.
- Signatories argue that early access to advanced AI models and compute budgets would help core developers produce more secure code.
- The current asymmetry allows AI labs and partners to examine new attack capabilities before public release, which then escape into the wild.
- Hackers are already using AI to conduct attacks, such as ransomware attacks on Bitcoin networks.
- The Bitcoin Security Consortium recently committed $15 million to the network's long-term security.
More than 40 cryptocurrency companies, including Coinbase, Block, and BitGo, have signed an open letter urging major artificial intelligence laboratories to provide security researchers with access to their most advanced models. The letter, organized by the Bitcoin Policy Institute, highlights a critical asymmetry: while AI labs grant early access to their frontier models to select partners, the developers responsible for securing open-source financial infrastructure, like Bitcoin wallets and node software, are largely excluded.
This exclusion prevents these defenders from utilizing the strongest AI tools to identify and remediate vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. The signatories argue that such access is crucial for maintaining the security of the cryptocurrency ecosystem, which underpins trillions of dollars in value. They point out that malicious actors are already leveraging AI for sophisticated attacks, such as ransomware campaigns targeting Bitcoin networks, making offense cheaper and more accessible.
The letter specifically calls for AI labs to establish or expand standing trusted-access programs for qualified defenders of open-source financial infrastructure. While the AI labs have not yet publicly responded, they are reportedly working on safeguards to prevent their models from being used for malicious purposes across various applications, including blockchain coding. This initiative comes shortly after the Bitcoin Security Consortium, which includes BlackRock and Fidelity Digital Assets, committed $15 million to bolster the network's long-term security.