[Ads-l] "Tokenpocalypse"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Interesting topic, Nancy.

Nancy Friedman wrote: I wish Reddit used actual dates

If you hover over the "relative date" on a reddit webpage then the
absolute date and time are displayed. Of course, it would be helpful
to be able to cut-and-paste this timestamp, but it does not seem to be
possible. For the reddit post (mentioned by Nancy) which displays "11
days ago" as the relative date,  the absolute timestamp is "Thursday,
May 28, 2026 at 11:22:59 AM UTC"

The meaning of "tokenpocalypse" has shifted over time. Here is
February 2026 x/twitter message that seems to match the current modern
AI inspired sense.

[Begin X/Twitter info]
https://x.com/marcboisvertd/status/2018111896700805269
Marc Boisvert-Dupras @marcboisvertd
Calling it now, the tokenpocalypse will happen in 2026.
all major labs will start locking down their pro/max "unlimited" plans
6:59 PM, Feb 1, 2026
[End X/Twitter info]

Below are some x/twitter messages containing "tokenpocalypse" starting
in 2018, but the domain seems to be crypto tokens and blockchain
networks.

[Begin X/Twitter info]
https://x.com/CSICON/status/956018554230501378
CSICON @CSICON
Just published: The MMOsketeers #224: Tokenpocalypse -
http://csicon.fm/3mmo224/ #podcast
11:19 PM, Jan 23, 2018
[End X/Twitter info]

[Begin X/Twitter info]
https://x.com/harbor/status/1194370464115654657
Polymath @PolymathNetwork
The Four Horsemen of the Tokenpocalypse
https://x.com/harbor/status//harbor/status/1194370464115654657
8:30 AM, Nov 13, 2019
[End X/Twitter info]

[Begin X/Twitter info]
https://x.com/PolymathNetwork/status/1194608772192329729
Polymath @PolymathNetwork
(Contrary to how it sounds, the tokenpocalypse is a good thing where
everything gets tokenized and capital markets function more
efficiently)
8:31 AM, Nov 13, 2019
[End X/Twitter info]

[Begin X/Twitter info]
https://x.com/thingsgeek81/status/1426884669971255299
mR_CaESaR @thingsgeek81
With RFID cards becoming the norm these days, there's no way I'm
letting the nostalgia of dropping a token into cab ever get lost with
my cabs! So I have no choice but to get ready for the tokenpocalypse
🤣🤣🤣 #arcade #candycabinet #candycab #segaastro…
https://instagr.am/p/CSmATS6HF51/
8:33 AM · Aug 15, 2021
[End X/Twitter info]

[Begin X/Twitter info]
https://x.com/kazumidapp/status/1457797155838513155
kazumi.base.eth @kazumidapp
every project dropping a token. its the tokenpocalypse
2:48 PM, Nov 8, 2021
[End X/Twitter info]

Garson

On Mon, Jun 8, 2026 at 11:03 AM Nancy Friedman
<00001b7f50001087-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> TechCrunch, June 7, 2026:
>
> Is This the Dawn of the Tokenpocalypse?
> https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/07/is-this-the-dawn-of-the-tokenpocalypse/
> "Microsoft recently announced major pricing changes for GitHub Copilot
> <https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/30/what-a-joke-github-copilots-new-token-based-billing-spurs-consternation-among-devs/>
> —
> changes that were drastic enough that a Reddit user said their company
> has started
> calling it the Tokenpocalypse
> <https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/comments/1tq0otf/your_experience_with_tokenpocalypse_2026/>
> ."
>
> The Reddit citation, from "11 days ago" (I wish Reddit used actual dates):
> https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/comments/1tq0otf/your_experience_with_tokenpocalypse_2026/
>
> In AI-speak, a token is the basic unit of data that a large language model
> reads and generates. See also "tokenmaxxing":
> https://theconversation.com/silicon-valleys-ai-tokenmaxxing-obsession-has-a-big-problem-and-philosophers-saw-it-coming-281530
>
> For another new -pocalypse blend, see my post on "SaaSpocalypse" (March 2,
> 2026):
> https://fritinancy.substack.com/p/words-of-the-week-ai-edition
>
> And see Mark Liberman on Language Log (June 21, 2011) on "sportspocalypse,"
> "snowpocalypse," et al.:
> https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=3209
>
>
> Nancy Friedman
> Chief Wordworker
> web: wordworking.com <http://www.wordworking.com>
> substack https://fritinancy.substack.com/
> Medium <https://medium.com/@wordworking>
>
> tel 510 652-4159
> cel 510 304-3953
> bluesky/mastodon/instagram  Fritinancy
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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