Bitwise, a leading Bitcoin ETF issuer, forecasts that the amalgamation of cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence (AI) could contribute $20 trillion to the global GDP by 2030. This prediction was made during the annual Consensus conference, where the potential partnership between Bitcoin mining and AI was a key discussion point.

The rapid development of AI has led to a shortage of data centers, crucial for storing the vast amounts of data driving AI. Bitcoin miners, with their advanced infrastructure designed for high-volume data processing and storage, are uniquely positioned to alleviate this shortage. This was demonstrated when AI cloud provider CoreWeave acquired Bitcoin miner Core Scientific for $1.6 billion, with a $3.5 billion agreement to host CoreWeave’s AI services in its data centers over the next 12 years.

PwC estimates that AI and crypto could add $15.7 trillion and $1.8 trillion to the global economy by 2030, respectively. The synergistic effect of their integration could drive this combined value to $20 trillion or beyond.

Beyond immediate applications in data storage and processing, the integration of AI and crypto holds long-term potential in areas like information validation. AI has revolutionized content creation, but it has also raised concerns about authenticity and bias. Public blockchains offer a solution by providing a verifiable ledger for digital content.

The combination of AI assistants with smart contracts and digital currencies like Bitcoin could enhance the functionality of virtual assistants, enabling them to perform complex transactions quickly and securely. This optimistic outlook on the market indicates a promising future for the integration of AI and crypto.