Metacoin

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ChatGPT Tackles the World of NFTs and We Rate Their Writing

After the success of our blog post from three weeks ago — here’s a link: ChatGPT Isn’t Taking Your Job — we thought we’d experiment with the tool once again, but this time with the goal of kickstarting our own NFT collection.

So yeah, it’s self-serving as heck. (AND we’ll give you a couple disclaimers: do your own research. Don’t invest more than you can afford to lose. Also, since we created the art here at Metacoin HQ, of course we profit from any sales of the art. That’s capitalism for ya.)

But, as with everything these days, these NFTs are an experiment. Crypto is an experiment. ChatGPT is an experiment. And we put all these experiments together, and watch as it tackles the world of NFTs. How do we rate their writing? Read on…

First, the Background

The collection we asked about was the third we launched on OpenSea, which, to date, has been the leader in the NFT universe. While there have been a few competitors, OpenSea seems to be the leade rin the clubhouse.

Our collection is called “Collezione22” and the 176 pieces were created by us. (More accurately, me. At my computer.) Launched (of course) in 2022, only a few have sold — reminding me of a really off-color and rather sacrilegious Bible-related article from The Onion that I refuse to link to because reasons — so I thought “why not ask ChatGPT to create a post so I can sell more of these [expletive] NFTs?”

So I Went to ChatGPT and Asked…

“Write a 1000 word blog post as a potential investor in NFT art pieces, such as the ones at https://opensea.io/collection/collezione22 and compare their value to those that are focused on pfp or profile photos like cryptopunks and bored apes.”

Before I share the post in its entirety, a caveat: I went in and added links on any of the text where a link is appropriate. ChatGPT isn’t really great at that these days. It will get better and SEO professionals will need to ask what to do next.

Here, then, is the post:

As the world continues to embrace digitalization, the art industry is not left behind. The advent of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) has revolutionized the way art is created, sold, and collected. NFTs provide a unique opportunity for artists to create digital art that is unique and exclusive to the buyer. As an investor, NFTs have caught my attention, and I am particularly interested in art pieces such as the ones found in the collezione22 collection on OpenSea. In this blog post, I will explain why I think investing in NFT art pieces is a wise decision and compare their value to those focused on PFP or profile photos like Cryptopunks and Bored Apes.

Firstly, NFTs provide a unique way to invest in art. Unlike traditional art pieces, NFTs are digital assets that exist on a blockchain. This means that they are unique and cannot be replicated or duplicated. When you buy an NFT, you own the original piece, and you can prove ownership using the blockchain. This is a significant advantage compared to traditional art pieces, which can be easily replicated, and it can be challenging to prove ownership.

NFTs also have a significant advantage in terms of liquidity. Unlike traditional art pieces, which may take time to sell, NFTs can be sold instantly on various online platforms such as OpenSea, Rarible, and Nifty Gateway. This means that if you need to cash out your investment quickly, you can do so easily without having to wait for a buyer.

Another advantage of investing in NFTs is the potential for high returns on investment. In recent months, we have seen some NFTs sell for millions of dollars. For example, the Beeple NFT sold for a record-breaking $69 million at Christie’s auction house. Although not all NFTs sell for millions, some can still provide significant returns on investment. The value of NFTs is driven by various factors, such as the rarity, the artist behind it, and the demand for the piece.

When it comes to NFT art pieces, the collezione22 collection on OpenSea is an excellent place to start. This collection features various digital art pieces from different artists, each with a unique style and theme. The art pieces in this collection range from abstract to realistic, and they are all visually appealing. This collection also provides an opportunity to invest in emerging artists who may become well-known in the future.

While NFT art pieces are an excellent investment opportunity, they are not the only type of NFTs available. Profile photos or PFPs have also become popular in the NFT world. PFPs are digital images that serve as a user’s profile picture on social media platforms. Some examples of PFPs that have gained significant popularity include Cryptopunks and Bored Apes.

Cryptopunks were one of the first NFT projects to gain significant attention. They feature 10,000 unique 8-bit characters that were randomly generated and sold for a fraction of an ether in 2017. Since then, their value has skyrocketed, with some selling for millions of dollars. Bored Apes, on the other hand, feature 10,000 unique digital apes that come with various accessories such as hats, glasses, and jewelry. Bored Apes have also gained significant popularity, with some selling for over $1 million.

While PFPs have gained significant attention, they have a few disadvantages compared to NFT art pieces. Firstly, PFPs lack the uniqueness and exclusivity that NFT art pieces provide. While each PFP may be unique, they do not provide the same level of creativity and originality that NFT art pieces offer. Secondly, PFPs may not have the

Wait, What?

Time to grade this piece. All 594 words of it.

Accuracy: B+

That was actually a pretty good piece in the grand scheme, as it talks about a few of the likely suspects — e.g. OpenSea, Nifty Gateway, Rarible — and whether it makes sense to invest in PFPs (where each is a different character) or artistic NFTs (such as the ones we created) that aren’t unique characters.

It falls short of an “A” rating, though, because it really doesn’t accurately talk about the collection I have on OpenSea. They’re all mine. I guess if someone reached out and said “I have some art!” then we’d talk.

Prose: C

It’s well-written but not too much better than what I could create myself. If I had the time.

So if “average” writing is your thing, then…that’s fine.

Following the Instructions: D-

I asked for 1000 words. I got 594. But this is passable writing, so I can’t give it an “F” grade.

Overall Grade: C

However, let’s think about this holistically. I went to a FREE website and typed in a question and got a response. And it’s good enough to put on the blog. And it might put *some* writers out of business.

But…didn’t you say that ChatGPT isn’t taking my job? What’s a writer to do?

Read My Last Post on the Topic…

Above is image #165 in the series. Art is subjective: you may find that to be a cool image, you may think it’s kinda just there. In the case of ChatGPT, it appears it didn’t think about the image at all.

The next image is #164, the original piece upon which #165 is based. 165 was created by digitally manipulating the original just enough so that it’s different, but still follows the same general color scheme and uses the original flow.

There’s very little room for nuance on ChatGPT, it appears. It does a casual glance based on the text it can find, but you’re not going to get a critique of the artwork.

So where does that leave us?

As we told you before, Google allowed us to outsource our thinking in some respects, and ChatGPT is doing the same. Does that free you up to create? Does it free you up to do a deeper dive on a subject that just cannot be explained by the chatbots?

Yeah, that’s what we think.

ChatGPT Isn’t Taking Your Job

When it all started, the “OMG You Should Try Out This ChatGPT Thing!” craze, I thought I’d give it a whirl.

(I Have A Question…)

…ChatGPT, of course, had an answer. Here it is:

It is difficult to predict with certainty which specific cryptocurrencies will survive or fail in the future. The success or failure of a cryptocurrency can depend on a wide range of factors, including its technology, adoption, market conditions, and competition.

Bitcoin and Ethereum are two of the largest and most well-established cryptocurrencies, and they have both achieved a significant level of adoption and have strong networks of users and developers. This can make them more resilient to changes in the market and give them a competitive advantage over smaller or less established cryptocurrencies.

However, it is important to note that the cryptocurrency market is highly volatile and unpredictable, and it is possible for any cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, to experience fluctuations in value or to fail. It is also possible for new cryptocurrencies to emerge and gain significant adoption, potentially competing with or even surpassing existing ones.

Ultimately, it is impossible to accurately predict the future of the cryptocurrency market, and it is important for investors to carefully consider the risks and potential outcomes before making any investment decisions.

That Wasn’t Too Bad…

Nuance — in the form of online discussions at least, and maybe with respect to political discourse as well — died recently. It ain’t coming back online, and it certainly won’t come back if it’s reliant on machine-learning, algorithms, and AI-led back-and-forths about topics that used to be parlor discussions. (Yes, Bitcoin and Ethereum were parlor discussions back in the olden days.)

It’s time to figure out why ChatGPT isn’t taking your job. It’s…complicated. But simple.

There might only be two approaches to content these days, anyway: either you have a 30-second TikTok piece that goes viral, or you spend 3 hours talking to Joe Rogan and it gets 5 million views. Quick hits, or nuanced explanations. Which brings us to our second experiment.

(Here’s ChatGPT’s Response, Round Two…)

Cryptocurrency is a complex and fascinating topic, one that requires a deep understanding of both human psychology and the mechanics of finance. As with so many things in life, it is a subject that is both rooted in tradition and destined to shape the future.

From a psychological perspective, cryptocurrency can be understood as a manifestation of our innate desire for freedom and independence. It represents a rejection of centralized systems of power and control, and instead offers a decentralized alternative that is based on trust, transparency, and accountability.

At its core, cryptocurrency is a form of digital currency that is built on blockchain technology. This technology allows for secure and transparent transactions, as well as the creation of new units of currency through the process of “mining”. Unlike traditional currency, which is controlled by governments and financial institutions, cryptocurrency operates independently and without interference.

However, it is important to recognize that the use of cryptocurrency is still in its infancy and that it is not without its risks. Just as the traditional financial system is prone to instability and corruption, the world of cryptocurrency is also vulnerable to fraud and manipulation.

Ultimately, the rise of cryptocurrency represents a profound shift in the way we think about money and financial systems. It is a subject that requires careful consideration and a deep understanding of both its potential benefits and its potential drawbacks.

In the words of Jordan Peterson, “The only way to truly understand the world is to understand the underlying patterns that give rise to it.” The same is true for cryptocurrency. To truly grasp its significance, one must delve into its history, its technical workings, and its psychological underpinnings. Only then can we begin to understand the full scope of its impact on our lives and our world.

And This Is Related to Crypto…How?

In our quest to automate everything — do you really need a “smart fridge?” — we’re quick to both automate and delegate the ability to think. That part of your brain that can remember the call-in number for the radio station hotline where you tried to win money back in the day — 234-7533, in case you’re curious; 674-8851 if you’re outside of St. Joe County — can now focus on other things thanks to your “smart phone.” (Which you *do* need.) So your brain is free to explore. Your keyboard is still yours.

Some thoughts, then…

Don’t Be Afraid of Thinking This Through

I haven’t arrived at any of the hundreds of blog posts on this site by heading over to some blog post generation engine and asking what I should write about. And, dare I say it out loud, there are some folks I’ve outsourced some content creation to haven’t been able to provide enough of a nuanced discussion to touch a nerve with readers. (Others? Yeah, some of the work from my pal Anthony were darn good.)

You live and learn, and you continue to think your way through how all of this might play out.

Or might not.

The Power of Narrative

In an article for the site Ordinary Times, I gave a sneak peek at the book I’ve been working on (for too long, it seems) called “Own The Narrative.” The concept: most really good narratives do tend to follow a few rules — and we’re not talking about conflict, rising action, resolution stuff — and if you can see around blind corners and figure out what those rules are and how they apply to your situation, you can use those rules to your advantage.

One of those 8 rules (50 percent fewer than Jordan Peterson’s 12) is to “Identify a Boogeyman.” Automation can be your friend but, in this case, automating the content marketing necessary to tell the story about the nuances of crypto…that’s an enemy. A villain. The Boogeyman.

If It Smells Like A Scam

One wonders if ChatGPT had been employed at all to sniff out FTX. I mean, it looked like a scam, it sounded like a scam. But, if all you’re looking for is some cheap content to ratchet up your brand’s profile, you’re likely to go after keywords and throw in a few affiliate links for good measure. (This blog: guilty as charged on using affiliate links, but not guilty of pumping FTX.)

So Why Won’t ChatGPT Take My Job?

Simple. You think, you read, you explore. You’re willing to seek out more information about whatever subject you’re interested in. You enjoy nuance. You’re not afraid of doing your own research.

And you continue to sharpen your own thinking, and your own writing. Right?

Your voice is…YOUR voice. Not anyone else’s. Don’t outsource your voice to a computer.

The 2023 Growth Portfolio*

* “Third verse, same as the first.”

Or, put another way, we’re doing it…again…but it looks a little like previous editions and a lot like last year’s edition.

First, the Background

Going back to the inception of this site, we’ve created mock portfolios that are designed to replicate what a mutual fund or ETF would look like…if it were allowed to invest in (what we’ve called at cocktail parties) “Bitcoin and Bitcoin-like substances.”

There was the “BRED Portfolio,” our first foray into the genre. (Bonus points scored just now for using “foray” and “genre” in the same sentence.) There were previous iterations of “Growth Portfolios” (though the first was called the “Crypto Balance Portfolio”).

And there was last year’s Growth Portfolio, which…tanked. (Bear markets will do that, it appears.)

Which Brings Us to 2023

Before we start, we do need to ask a question — posed in musical format by semi-obscure British alternative act Kitchens of Distinction, circa 1992 — about “What Happens Now?”

Album entitled “The Death of Cool,” natch

If your portfolio was, in theory, well-positioned to take advantage of a few different crypto developments — like Bitcoin’s continued dominance in the space, plus Ethereum’s “merge,” plus DeFi (like “Sushi“), and throwing in NFT gaming with coins like Magic and DeFi Kingdoms — you might as well just take the same ten coins from the previous year and rebalance on 1/1/23.

(If you want to see the 2023 Growth Portfolio in all its glory (ahem), you can also take a look at the updated numbers anytime over here: CoinGecko Link.)

Quick Thoughts

First up, this is NOT INVESTMENT ADVICE. Second, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

Now that that’s out of the way…What the heck IS GOING ON???

Seriously, the “Up Only” meme phrase from last year’s bull market (before it became a bear market) over there on the one side of the image is kinda done as a joke. But not.

Up Only (So Far, 2023)

They’re all up! The worst performer is DeFi Kingdoms, known by its ticker of JEWEL and it’s up a measly 26.87%. Huh? MAGIC has tripled?

Well, you do realize that most of these went…way down last year. So they’re just ticking back up, trying to answer that old problem of needing to go WAY UP to make back what you lost after going WAY DOWN by (in some cases) 95% last year.

Sigh.

Final Thoughts

Again, you’re on your own with any of these portfolio ideas. You could make mad bank, you could…not.

But it does look like you could have had a nice pickup of 63% in just short of a month had you tried this 2023 Growth Portfolio.

18 Months Later: Was Jim Rogers Correct?

Editor’s Note: We decided to hand the reins over to a guest columnist, Lawrence James, who lives in Sub-Saharan Africa and has become a fan of Metacoin. We asked him to take another look at Dave’s conversation with Jim Rogers, and see what his thoughts were after the fact.

A year ago, in a conversation Dave held with Jim Rogers about the crypto and economic worlds at large, the pair happened to exchange a couple of points. Jim is a long-time investor, hedge fund manager, and co-founder of the Quantum Fund. Most importantly, he’s a self-made multi-millionaire who knows a thing or two about markets.

Biden Backing Up the Money Truck

Dave posed a question on the issue of Joe Biden giving out cash to people who elected him, which put the country in debt, and how it would be paid for. Jim said, “ You’re wondering but Joe Biden is not wondering,“ and later explained that politicians like Biden were driven by a mentality that insinuated that they spend if it’s there, and if it were not there, they would borrow it and still spend it. This came to pass when Biden awarded $1.9 trillion as part of the American rescue plan, which was geared towards bailing out citizens, and giving out $1400 stimulus checks, a move that further put the country in debt. 

Also, concerning the Biden issue, Dave asked for Jim’s view on whether the Biden administration was using that as an opportunity to continue an economic overreach and if such an event would ever unfold again. He said that that would happen again since the governments had guns while referring to power, and they knew what was good for the community. He claimed that maybe their approach was what was going to save everyone.

I think, true to this thinking, Biden’s approach, bordering on “overreach,” ended up working, but the discovery of vaccines greatly aided the administration.

BREAK TIME: HERE’S A SPONSORED LINK to BINANCE. SIGN UP HERE AND WE BOTH GET SOME CRYPTO. Now back to Lawrence’s article.

What About Short Squeezes?

Dave later questioned the issue of GameStop. It had gone up 85% from its usual high then. Jim termed that a short squeeze, for that was not the first time he had seen that, but what amazed him was how they could create such a vast short, which, according to him, was a legitimate and historical kind of event. He also says it can happen again, but he suspects it cannot happen in the Silver markets. However, this came to pass in another market when Nickel faced the risks of another short squeeze as of 31st March 2022.

What About Crypto?

Dave asked specifically if Bitcoin was a worthy trading vehicle, given the fact that, if it were made a publicly traded company, it would rank as the sixth largest in the world (at 963 billion dollars at the time of the interview). Jim termed crypto a worthy investment vehicle; he even added that if he had the chance earlier, he would have bought some for himself.

In line with that, he added that nations without internet access could not use crypto; hence in such a nation, one with crypto can be termed as one only “money rich” but can’t spend their money. He also pointed out blackout cases as another flaw to wanting to access crypto whenever in need readily. He mentioned that many nations had already raged war on crypto use on their borders. And if it were to succeed in becoming money,  the governments would outlaw it if it meant using guns. This has, however, not been the case yet, as El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal currency as of September 2022. 

Market Bubbles Abound…Still?

Next, Dave brought up an interview Jim did with Kitco, where Jim said we weren’t in a bubble in stocks. Jim agreed, but said that bonds were in a bubble, and at that time, bonds were at the most expensive they had ever been, and that was a bubble. He claims on the stock market, some stocks might have registered bubbles, but some stocks, Like Apple, Tencent, and Google, make profits every day and have never been in a bubble; hence the stock market, according to him, was not experiencing a full bubble just yet. He said that the many “SPAC“s coming, which he believed came after a bull market, would bring a bubble burst and an end to the bull market.

An economic bubble popped later in the year. Despite their impressiveness, the 20–30% corrections experienced in the first half of 2022—the most significant first-half decline in more than 50 years—had not yet warmed up. Instead, they had come from high starting positions after a period of the fast price increase. As a result, two problems needed to be addressed: first, were the beginning positions of these corrections so high that markets had inflated? Second, had the markets deflated as much as they usually do when a bubble bursts if they were in bubble mode? Knowing where we came from may help us determine where we were going.

In conclusion, I would say that Mr. Rogers is a man of his word as most of what he said came to pass. Crypto has been termed the future of money, and its use has been on the rise, with many countries even accepting it as legal tender. However, some people are still skeptical about its use, with Jim Rogers being one of them. Nevertheless, he is still a great investor, and his predictions are always worth listening to; however, as he stated earlier, one’s choice of investing should be characterized by their understanding of the investment.

The Zipper Merge

Kid 2 is taking driver’s education — a rite of passage here in the U.S.A., though less so in these modern times, where your every everything is catered to by things like apps, mass transit, Uber, and that concept of “prolonged adolescence” exacerbated by the response to COVID — and likes to tell his parents about how much he’s learned. This also means we have to relearn some things where “The Science” used to be settled (“10 and 2!” is now “9 and 3!”).

Which brings us to “The Zipper Merge.”

Why Not A Video from the Province of Alberta?

We’ve been merging all wrong, it seems. Wait til the very last minute, use both lanes, and Bob’s Your Uncle.

Ethereum’s Zipper Merge

If you’re like me — laser-focused on ETH for months, then there was an implosion in prices and you cut your losses and moved on to other things, like making a living — then the Ethereum Merge has sneaked up on you like a construction zone on US-55. What do you do with your ETH? Do you have any ETH2? Do you know the difference? Do you care?

Understanding The Merge

Long story short, The Merge is where Ethereum moves from “Proof of Work,” or a mining environment that is similar to Bitcoin’s (but not as profitable) where miners are rewarded with coins for proving validity of transactions, to a “Proof of Stake” system, where owners are credited for staking (“parking”) their assets.

Y’all ain’t getting Web3 without Proof of Stake, so that’s where it’s headed. But not without a meandering road with a few…forks.

Once The Merge happens, rumored to be in a couple weeks but certainly in September, ETH will likely see some changes to its price — maybe mad fluctuations? — and it’s going to be bumpy.

So get yourself some tunes and buckle up for the ride. (No, we don’t know who to believe either.)

Some Thoughts THAT ARE NOT INVESTMENT ADVICE

These thoughts are not investment advice. But here are some considerations…

You Could Leave It All There*…

So yeah, there’s option one. For instance, I have some ETH parked on MegaCryptopolis. The game site is migrating to its own whole new world, so there’s not much choice I have in the matter. Whether I’ll get an airdrop there is another question: rumors abound about airdrops and whether they’ll happen, or not.

And if you *do* leave it all there, you’re looking at — thanks to calculations from Bitmex, with which we cannot trade in our region, natch — $45 per ETH.

Whales will make out like bandits. The rest of us could get a nice dinner out (after taxes, because, well, our jurisdiction will tax the airdrops like income and whatnot).

BTW, the Asterisk above means those assets you have parked in DeFi tools and other…things…like MegaCryptopolis. Or Sushi. Or a Uniswap pool.

…Or You Could Take It All Out of DeFi…

That’s another option here. Probably a pretty viable one, too, if you’ve lost any money from a rug pull. (Who among us?)

The thinking: you can’t trust anyone with your ETH so you might as well take yours out, and certainly take it out of any DeFi protocol with a high potential of rug pulls.

Sensible thoughts, but here’s option 3, which is where we’re landing:

…Something In Between

Here’s the winner.

We yanked some of our coins out of DeFi things, and we traded out of some duds to get ETH a couple weeks ago. BUT, we’ve also done that “why the heck not?” thing with a few. Holding a little in a pool of SUSHI and ETH, a little more in a couple barely there pools.

And holding tight.

We’ll All Be in One-Lane Traffic Soon

That’s the guess: from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake, some folks will head off onto side roads, others will go off-road, and we’ll stick in this lane for a little while, while holding a piece of one of those four-wheel drive things.

Hoping it’s not a Yugo.