CNBC crypto trader and analyst Ran Neuner said the artificial intelligence industry has begun directly competing with Bitcoin mining for electricity. The economic model of AI infrastructure has proven to be significantly more profitable, which is why mining companies are gradually redirecting their capacity.
According to Neuner, both industries rely on the same core resource — electricity, which is converted either into Bitcoin network hashrate or into computing power used to train AI models. In this competition, economic logic works against mining, and companies that operate data centers are starting to prioritize AI projects because they generate significantly higher revenue.
“AI is willing to pay much more for electricity,” Neuner emphasized.
He explained that the average revenue of mining companies is around $57–$129 per megawatt of power. For data centers serving artificial intelligence, the figure is significantly higher: $200–$500 per megawatt of the same electricity.
Against this backdrop, some data center operators are reconsidering their business models. The infrastructure required for such a transition already exists: mining farms and data centers already have the necessary power capacity, cooling systems, and space to host computing equipment.
In this situation, infrastructure owners face a choice — continue mining Bitcoin or use the same capacity to serve AI models.
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