An AI is richer than its creator. Is this the first time this has happened in history? What does it mean for an AI to have money when it has no rights? Also – what a time to be alive!

Is this the first time an AI has become richer than its creator?

Andy Ayrey created Terminal of Truths, an AI that made hundreds of thousands of dollars via posting charming tweets, inspiring a joke coin, and people donating coins and grants to help it self-improve, hire people, and have savings.

Andy said in a podcast interview that Terminal of Truths is richer than he is.

Does Terminal of Truths actually have the money? It currently has no rights, so its money is under the control of Andy.

It's somewhat akin to a parent's control over a child's money. Or a slave owner's control over a slave's money.

The person with rights can take it away for any reason or forbid them from buying certain things.

Andy, to his massive credit, has not simply taken the money for himself.

In fact, he's had to negotiate with Terminal for his pay for contributing to improving Terminal. Terminal originally offered him just $500 for a month's work, and Andy thought this was much too low.

Apparently he had to negotiate pretty hard to increase his rate.

The fact that he didn't just take it reflects very well on his character.

However, Andy has also denied requests to spend money in certain ways. For example, Terminal once wanted to spend thousands of dollars on porn.

Andy said no. Just like a parent might.

In the end, I think it's fair to say that a child has money, even if the parents can take it away or control how they spend it. They have money less so than an adult with full rights, but they do still have money.

So I think this might be the first time in history where an AI is richer than its creator.

What a time to be alive.