Ethereum wallet seed phrases are being transformed into AI-generated art, creating mind-boggling picture puzzles for crypto prize hunters.
The bizarre competition is the brainchild of Nick Johnson, lead developer of the Ethereum Naming Service, and an alum of the Ethereum Foundation. According to Johnson, he was inspired by an earlier post from Jameson Lopp.
Lopp started using random seed phrases to create AI-generated artwork as a ‘hobby.’ When Johnson saw the idea he almost immediately had his own notions about where to take the idea. Johnson’s innovation is to add funds to the seed phrase wallet and then ask users to guess the 12-word phrase from the generated image or images.
If at first, you don’t succeed
Nick Johnson announced his first AI-generated seed phrase on Monday, but not all went to plan the first time around.
Taking to Twitter the puzzle pioneer described the process he had used and precisely how to win the crypto prize.
“I have generated a random 12-word seedphrase, and sent 0.5 ETH to it,” said Johnson of his game. “Then, I used the seedphrase to generate these images with Midjourney v4. If you can guess the seedphrase, you can have the ETH. If nobody does in a week, I’ll claim it back and reveal the phrase.”
Midjourney is an AI-powered imaging platform that opened to the public in March. Users are able to set up an account with the service and generate artwork by description alone.
Having used the software to create the puzzle Johnson went on to add that “I fully expect this first one to be outright impossible,” but he was swiftly forced to eat humble pie. The crypto was gone within 48 hours of the wallet being funded. Johnson had left his Midjourney profile public, allowing one user to simply look up the phrase on the site.
The solution to the first puzzle was, “potato label dinner also vague metal royal gun foster basket rich flight.”
Having apparently learned from his mistake Johnson remains undeterred and has launched a further picture puzzle for his Twitter audience. The latest version remains unsolved and can be found here.
Seed phrases fit for Parody
The AI-generated puzzle has already captured the imagination of Twitter users, and while the number of puzzles has not significantly increased, parodies of the idea have already begun to appear.
While the parody puzzles may amuse, Johnson is offering 0.5 ETH to anyone who can solve his current AI-generated riddle.
With the current dollar value of the prize at close to $700, that’s no joke.
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