Vitalik Buterin Wants AI to Slow Down, Backs Anti-Data Center Movement

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has publicly backed the anti-data center movement, arguing that slowing the growth of AI compute capacity gives society more time to prepare for cyber risks. His intervention comes as debate intensifies over the power demands and pace of expansion of large-scale AI infrastructure. The stance is notable given Buterin's influence over Ethereum, the second-largest crypto network by market capitalization. It signals a growing alignment between crypto figureheads and broader tech-policy debates over AI development. What to watch next is whether other prominent crypto founders echo the position and whether the movement gains traction with policymakers weighing data center approvals.