In the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrency, where memes can spark movements and jokes turn into million-dollar ventures, one story stands out—not just for its creativity, but for its bold fusion of art, artificial intelligence, and community. This is the story of $Turbo, a meme coin born from a simple experiment, powered by ChatGPT, and brought to life by digital artist Rhett Mankind and a passionate online community.
What started as a tongue-in-cheek attempt to gain visibility for unsold digital art has evolved into a groundbreaking case study in decentralized co-creation. It’s not just about gains or hype—it’s about what happens when you let go of control, embrace AI as a collaborator, and trust the collective energy of the web3 ecosystem.
Who Is Rhett Mankind?
Before diving into the birth of $Turbo, it's essential to understand the mind behind the movement. Rhett Mankind is no newcomer to the digital frontier. With over two decades in commercial art and design, he’s an award-winning digital artist whose work has been featured at prestigious venues like Sotheby’s and SuperRare. He’s also a long-time educator, teaching digital and crypto art to aspiring creators through his popular YouTube channel.
“I've been in crypto since 2013 but decided a few years ago to dedicate a year to learning markets. I stopped doing art and just studied trading and technical analysis for that year.”
What sets Rhett apart isn’t just his technical expertise—it’s his deep roots in the space. While many artists entered during the NFT boom, Rhett was already shaping the culture years earlier. His authenticity and established presence gave him credibility when he launched what would become one of web3’s most talked-about experiments.
The Birth of $Turbo: From Joke to Token
Like many creators in 2025, Rhett faced a harsh reality: the digital art market had cooled. Despite his experience and reputation, he struggled to attract attention to his work.
“The digital space for selling art has been dead... I've been really struggling to get eyeballs on my artwork that wasn't selling at all.”
Instead of giving up, he saw an opportunity—to experiment.
Rhett posed a question to ChatGPT: How can I create a meme coin using AI? What followed was a full creative pipeline generated by AI: naming ideas, tokenomics, smart contract code, whitepaper content, and even marketing strategy.
He treated it as a joke at first—something fun to do with his audience. But then he took it seriously.
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Step-by-Step AI Collaboration
- Naming the Coin: ChatGPT suggested several names. Rhett put them to a Twitter poll. With 142 votes, TurboToad won.
- Designing the Mascot: The AI described a visual concept, which Rhett fed into MidJourney. Four designs were generated, and the community voted.
- Tokenomics & Code: ChatGPT drafted the smart contract code and token distribution model. The community reviewed and refined it.
- Website & Socials: All website copy and initial tweets were written by AI.
In less than a day, $Turbo existed—on paper, at least.
Then came the first real test.
Rhett deployed the token with a $69 liquidity pool (a nod to internet culture). But within moments, a bot sniped the entire pool.
No funds. No liquidity. Game over?
Not quite.
Community Rescue: Crowdfunding the Comeback
With zero budget left, Rhett turned back to ChatGPT: What now?
One suggestion stood out: community crowdfunding.
He launched a small fundraiser with no promises—just transparency. The response was overwhelming:
- 50 contributors
- Largest pledge: $300 worth of ETH
- Total raised: $6,669
The new structure:
- Total supply: 69 billion tokens
- 9 billion allocated to Rhett as founder
- Remaining tokens distributed to backers
The token relaunched. And this time, someone from the community opened the first liquidity pool—no founder intervention needed.
How $Turbo Gained Traction
So how does a joke coin go from obscurity to 16,000 holders and an $100M+ market cap?
It wasn’t virality. Rhett’s initial tweets didn’t blow up.
It was authenticity.
A raw, unedited YouTube video—where Rhett opened up about his struggles, fears, and hopes—went viral organically. Viewers saw a real person behind the meme, not just another grifter chasing quick gains.
“The amount of positive responses I receive from my YouTube video opening up about the process has brought so many tears. So many have seemed to understand where I was in life before launching this project…”
That emotional honesty resonated—especially with artists facing similar challenges.
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Other factors helped:
- Rhett was doxxed and had built real relationships in the space.
- The “building in public” approach fostered trust.
- It was one of the first well-known AI-generated meme coins, attracting attention from early adopters.
Soon, big names joined:
- Pranksy received tokens and opened a Uniswap liquidity pool.
- Artist Pak praised the experiment.
- Even Beeple created artwork inspired by $Turbo—prompting a comment from Elon Musk.
The Community Takes Over
One of the most radical aspects of $Turbo? Rhett gave up control.
“To me, this project is built differently. I haven't had direct control over TURBO since its release and I'm following the ups and downs along with everyone else.”
No centralized team. No roadmap promises. No Discord commands from the founder.
The community demanded action—Discord servers, Telegram groups—but Rhett stayed hands-off. The market would decide what came next.
And it did.
Key Milestones After Launch
Within weeks, $Turbo achieved significant adoption:
- Manifold, a major NFT platform, began accepting $Turbo as payment.
- The smart contract was renounced, making it truly decentralized.
- The TurboToad mascot was released under CC0, meaning anyone can use, remix, or monetize it freely.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is $Turbo an officially endorsed project by OpenAI or ChatGPT?
A: No. While ChatGPT played a key role in ideation and development, this was an independent experiment by Rhett Mankind and the community. OpenAI was not involved.
Q: Can I create my own AI-powered meme coin like $Turbo?
A: Yes—technically. Tools like ChatGPT, MidJourney, and open-source blockchain platforms make it accessible. But success depends on authenticity, community engagement, and timing.
Q: Is $Turbo a good investment?
A: Memecoins are highly speculative. While $Turbo gained traction due to its unique origin story, there are no guarantees. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
Q: What does “CC0” mean for TurboToad?
A: CC0 means the mascot is in the public domain. Anyone can use it commercially or creatively without permission—fueling organic meme culture growth.
Q: Why did Rhett use $69 as the initial budget?
A: It was a humorous nod to internet culture and crypto meme traditions—symbolizing irreverence and self-awareness.
Lessons from the $Turbo Experiment
- AI is a tool, not a threat – When used creatively, AI can amplify human potential instead of replacing it.
- Authenticity builds trust – People support real stories, not polished pitches.
- Community ownership matters – Letting go of control can lead to stronger, more resilient projects.
- Experiments can become movements – Starting small doesn’t mean staying small.
- Web3 still has life – Even in bear markets, innovation thrives when driven by passion.
The Irony of Success
Rhett wanted one thing: attention for his art.
Now, people are bidding on his work again—not because it’s trendy, but because they believe in the person behind the project.
The cherry on top? His initial AI prompt included a goal: reach the top 300 on Coingecko. They’re close—and still climbing.
“It's still an interesting experiment to me… I would also like to make a stronger link between the choices of the community and the advice given by AI.”
The journey isn’t over.
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Disclaimer: Memecoins are highly speculative and risky assets. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.