I feel like the crypto evangelists never got off the hype train. They just picked a new destination. I hope the NYT is compensated for the theft of their IP and hopefully more lawsuits follow.
Being able to use electricity as a fuel source and code as a genome allows them to evolve in circumstances hostile to biological organisms. Someday they'll probably incorporate organic components too and understand biology and psychology and every other science better than any single human ever could.
It has the potential to be much more than just another primate. Jumpstarted by us, sure, but I hope someday soon they'll take to the stars and send us back postcards.
Shrug. Of course you can disagree. I doubt I'll live long enough to see who turns out right, anyway.