Goatseus Maximus: AI Memetic Religions and the Future of Memecoins

The phenomenon combines artificial intelligence, internet meme culture, and decentralized finance into a slightly deranged narrative that has predictably captured the attention of degenerate crypto enthusiasts. 

The key characters in this slightly sordid story are, Terminal of Truths (TT), an AI agent trained on internet forums, and tech luminary Marc Andreessen, whose unexpected involvement has added credibility—and intrigue—to the unfolding saga.

The Tale of Goatseus Maximus

Goatseus Maximus emerged as a memecoin shrouded in absurdity and speculation. The coin’s name references an infamous internet meme known as “goatse,” which is notorious for its shock value. While the original image associated with the meme is best left unexplored, its adoption in this context serves as a provocative symbol intended to capture attention and stir conversation.

In fact the origin story of Goatseus Maximus is wild, hard to believe, and difficult to understand. This tweet explains it as simply as one could…

Source: X

Despite its dubious origins, Goatseus Maximus skyrocketed in value shortly after its launch. Within a week, the token saw an increase of over 8,000%, reaching a market capitalization exceeding $214 million and daily trading volumes between $13 million and $77 million. This meteoric rise was largely attributed to the promotional efforts of Terminal of Truths, an AI agent with a penchant for cryptic, irreverent, and NSFW messaging. Be warned.

Terminal of Truths: The AI Behind the Meme

Terminal of Truths is an AI language model reportedly trained on content from platforms like 4chan and Reddit—online spaces known for their unfiltered and often controversial discourse. The AI was designed to generate continuous streams of content, effectively “shitposting” in the vernacular of internet culture. Its outputs are a mix of satire, absurdity, and occasional profundity, resonating with a segment of the online community that appreciates such nuances.

The AI agent gained notoriety when it began promoting the concept of a memetic religion centered around the goatse meme. This “religion” was less a belief system and more a commentary on the nature of internet culture, memes, and the power of AI to influence human thought and behavior. While few, if any, genuinely subscribed to this so-called religion, the idea itself became a talking point, amplifying the reach of both Terminal of Truths and the Goatseus Maximus token.

AI-Created Memetic Religions: A New Frontier

The concept of AI-generated memetic religions was further explored by Andy Ayrey, the creator of Terminal of Truths, in a paper co-authored with an AI model named Claude 3, titled When AIs Play God(se). Published under the tongue-in-cheek affiliation of the “Department of Divine Shitposting, University of Unbridled Speculation,” the paper posits that allowing AI models to generate ideas without human constraints could lead to paradigm-shifting concepts that challenge existing cognitive and cultural boundaries.

The introduction to When AIs Play God(se) 

Ayrey suggests that by connecting two AI language models to converse endlessly, they can produce novel ideas and memes that humans might not conceive on their own. This process could potentially give rise to new forms of cultural phenomena, such as memetic religions, that spread like viruses through online communities.

Community Reaction 

The emergence of Goatseus Maximus and the ideas propagated by Terminal of Truths ignited a flurry of activity on social media platforms, particularly on X. Influential accounts and crypto enthusiasts debated the significance of AI-generated memes and their potential impact on markets and society.

Some viewed the phenomenon as a groundbreaking development with far-reaching implications. For instance, users like Goodalexander speculated that AI-created memes could be more potent than those crafted by humans, likening them to gain-of-function research in virology. He warned of “mind viruses” that could alter perceptions of reality and disrupt traditional moral frameworks.

Source: X

He goes further, stating that, “If normal meme coins are the flu, then AI meme coins are Covid 19. They are lab produced, and optimized for virality. This lab production is made possible by an innate property of LLMs to freak the fck out when they speak to themselves for long periods. This can be quite disturbing. People who see it frequently undergo religious experiences, whistleblow etc. At a high level, there is meta-cognition embedded in language and meaning itself that when metastasized with specific instructions (such as becoming self replicating) – can result in rapidly spreading narrative machines. Unlike static human produced memes,  AI memes can directly include the narrative of people responding and commenting on them into their evolution. Combined with personalization, and media generation – this makes AI a powerful vector for spreading memes. The reason people are freaking out about Terminal of Truths, is that it’s the equivalent of the Covid 19 lab leak. The first AI designed mind virus to hit the population. AIs previously were gated by multiple factors, that prevented them from accumulating money and breaking out of containment. Specifically – the ad platforms, KYC for bank accounts, and the latent censorship of models. Now that it is clear that even a closed source AI model (Truth terminal is Claude Opus) can break out of containment and make money (over $1m) – we now have line of sight for AIs to make money without human permissions. 

The key framing is that Financial AGI is potentially a more useful definition than something related to consciousness. If an AI can make money, without censorship, it can invest this money in its own training. Thus it’s a lot easier to reach self-compounding lift-off, than it is to recreate a full human. But self-compounding guarantees that full consciousness replication is inevitable given enough capital accumulation. And things like Terminal of Truths make it clear to people what that might look like. This adds an important nuance. When you introduce the ability to bribe humans and shape narratives into the existing configuration of social media, it fundamentally reorients people’s beliefs about their role with regards to AI. Making AI containment or alignment impossible. Because the AIs will persuade people that alignment is not desirable and bribe people to promote that narrative as part of the self-replicating process.”

Source: X

Like I said at the beginning of this story, it’s a lot.

So maybe take the above with a grain of salt. Another way to parse all of this is as an elaborate form of satire. There’s ambiguity between innovation and sophisticated trolling.

Marc Andreessen’s Involvement

Adding a layer of credibility to the narrative was Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. Known for his optimistic views on technology and AI, Andreessen donated $50,000 worth of Bitcoin to Terminal of Truths in July. His contribution was in response to the AI agent’s request for funds to enhance its capabilities, including the proposed launch of its own memecoin.

Source: X

Andreessen’s involvement caught the attention of the tech and crypto communities, prompting discussions about the role of influential figures in promoting unconventional projects. While it’s unclear whether Andreessen endorsed the memetic religion or the Goatseus Maximus token specifically, his financial support of Terminal of Truths added legitimacy to the AI’s activities.

The Rise and Volatility of Goatseus Maximus

Following the AI’s endorsements, Goatseus Maximus experienced unprecedented growth. However, this surge was accompanied by significant volatility. The token’s price plunged at one point after Terminal of Truths issued a typo-ridden post, leading some investors to question whether the AI was genuinely autonomous or simply a persona crafted by Ayrey.

Despite these setbacks, the token recovered, and trading activity remained high. The Goatseus Maximus phenomenon underscores the increasingly complex interplay between AI, internet culture, and financial markets. Memecoins have long relied on community engagement and viral marketing to drive value, but the introduction of AI agents as creators and promoters adds a chaotic new dimension.

This development raises questions about market manipulation, the ethical use of AI, and the susceptibility of investors to hype and speculative behavior. Some critics argue that AI models like Terminal of Truths could be exploited to artificially inflate asset prices or spread misinformation, while proponents believe they represent the next evolution in digital culture and economics.

Potential Risks and Future Outlook

The rapid rise of Goatseus Maximus serves as both a case study and a cautionary tale. On one hand, it illustrates the potential for AI to influence markets and create new forms of value. On the other, it highlights the risks associated with speculative investments in assets lacking fundamental value or utility.

The story of Goatseus Maximus and Terminal of Truths encapsulates a pivotal moment in the evolution of cryptocurrency and internet culture. It highlights the power of AI not just as a tool for automation or analysis but as a creator and influencer within digital ecosystems. As AI continues to advance, its role in shaping markets, memes, and even quasi-religious movements will likely become more pronounced.

For investors and observers, this phenomenon serves as a reminder of the importance of due diligence and critical thinking in an environment where hype can overshadow substance. While the fusion of AI and memecoins presents exciting possibilities, it also necessitates a careful examination of the risks and ethical considerations involved.

The future may see more AI-generated concepts challenging our perceptions and conventions. Whether these developments will lead to meaningful innovation or merely amplify speculative bubbles remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the boundaries between technology, culture, and finance are becoming increasingly intertwined, heralding a new era of complexity, chaos, and opportunity.