#energy

JPMorgan reports that Bitcoin miners are diversifying their operations in anticipation of the upcoming halving event, which will slash their rewards. Miners are now venturing into the booming artificial intelligence (AI) market, offering high-performance computing services. This shift is partly funded by selling newly minted or existing bitcoins. Companies like Applied Digital and Iris Energy are already making strides in AI cloud services. Additionally, post Ethereum's shift from proof-of-work, former Ethereum miners are leveraging GPUs for AI, finding it potentially more profitable than traditional mining.

In collaboration with its subsidiary Zynga, acquired for $12.7 billion last year, Take-Two is launching “Sugartown,” a web3 game built on Ethereum, marking the debut of a “major mobile game developer” crafting a crypto-based game “from the ground up.” Players will utilize Ethereum (or ERC-721) tokens to access the game, stake for energy, and earn in-game currency. Access tokens named Oras will also be minted this year as part of an initial release.

Crypto miners in the U.S. have initiated the Digital Energy Council to lobby for miner-friendly policies amidst ongoing crypto regulation debates. The council aims to advocate for sustainable energy development, grid resilience, U.S. competitiveness, and national security. This move comes as President Joe Biden's administration proposes a 30% excise tax on mining operations, citing societal harms. Additionally, Democratic lawmakers criticize miners for environmental concerns.

Australian actress Margot Robbie, recognized for her performance in the film "Barbie," shared an incident where she overheard a Bitcoin discussion between her husband and a television producer on set. She likened the Bitcoin's vibe to that of Ken, a fictitious character from the movie, stirring quite a buzz in the crypto community. Notable figures such as Michael Saylor and Layah Heilpern weighed in on the comparison. The "Boy" Saylor claimed that “Bitcoin is Big Ken Energy.” Conversely, "girl" Heilpern reminded everyone that Barbie, in fact, didn't have a fondness for Ken: "When Margot Robbie said you’re a Ken if talk bitcoin. She meant you’re weak and pathetic. This was not a good thing," remarked Heilpern. Subsequently, even psychologist Mark Travers chimed in on the discussion, defining Ken's energy as an ability to display altruism and adapt to varying situations. And what do you think, crypto-folks?