- Brian Guan, co-founder of Unlonely, lost £40,000 after accidentally making his GitHub repository public, exposing his secret keys and resulting in a swift drain of funds.
- Guan’s revelation sparked polarised reactions, with some expressing sympathy and others recalling his previous comments about using ChatGPT for coding, leading to debates on his opinions.
- Despite controversies, the AI-coded memecoin Turbo, created with ChatGPT’s assistance, has surged in popularity, reaching a market capitalisation of over £600 million, showcasing AI’s potential in the crypto space.
OUR TAKE
Losing £40,000 in two minutes is absolutely heartbreaking. Guan’s mistake is a stark reminder of how unforgiving the crypto world can be. It’s tough to watch, but hopefully, he learns and rebounds quickly. The rise of AI-driven projects like Turbo gives hope that even in tough times, innovation can prevail.
–Dudu, BTW Reporter
British Web3 developer Brian Guan’s inadvertent exposure of his wallet keys on GitHub led to a staggering loss of £40,000（$50,000） within a mere two minutes, stirring diverse sentiments among crypto enthusiasts.
Developer’s £40K loss in 2 minutes
On June 5, Brian Guan, co-founder of Unlonely, a Web3 streaming app, shared the unfortunate tale of losing £40,000 after mistakenly making his GitHub repository public. Guan confessed that he had overlooked the presence of his secret keys in the repository, leading to the rapid depletion of funds within just two minutes. This incident underscores the critical importance of stringent security measures within the crypto realm, where even minor oversights can precipitate significant financial losses.
Also read: GitHub’s latest AI tool can automatically fix code vulnerabilities
Mixed reactions in crypto community
Following Guan’s revelation, reactions within the crypto community were polarised. While some extended sympathy and solidarity towards Guan in light of his misfortune, others seized the opportunity to recall his past statements regarding developers using OpenAI’s ChatGPT for coding. The incident sparked debates regarding the implications of Guan’s previous opinions and their resonance amidst his current predicament.
Also read: A quick guide to AI security
ChatGPT-coded memecoin surges
Amidst debates surrounding the use of ChatGPT for coding, a memecoin dubbed Turbo has emerged as a noteworthy success within the crypto domain. Crafted with the assistance of the AI chatbot, Turbo achieved remarkable growth, pushing its market capitalisation to exceed £600 million. Digital artist Rhett Mankind harnessed ChatGPT’s capabilities to devise Turbo in April 2023, employing prompts to guide the creation process. The memecoin’s recent surge underscores the potential of AI-driven initiatives in driving innovation within the crypto space.
