Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, expressed surprise that critics of cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence (AI), or network states have not adopted the phrase "beware of geeks bearing grifts" as a slogan. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
"I'm disappointed that none of the crypto (or AI, or network state, or...) critics so far have used "beware of geeks bearing grifts" as a slogan," said Buterin. "It's just.... right there for the taking!"
In 2025, criticism of cryptocurrency, AI, and network-state movements intensified. According to Business Insider, hedge fund manager Paul Singer argued that AI valuations risk exaggeration and that cryptocurrency threatens U.S. dollar dominance. This underscores cultural and political unease about disruptive technologies.