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audience: user
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# What does "gptme" stand for?

As an acronym, officially nothing (see the unofficial expansions below). As a project, it stands for a few things.

## What we stand for

- **Open source, on your terms.** gptme runs on your machine, with the models you choose, and keeps your conversations and knowledge in plain files you own. No lock-in to a vendor, a model, or a cloud.
- **AI that amplifies people.** We're optimistic about what AI can do for our lives: getting more done, with less drudgery, and making room for larger goals. The point is to extend what you can do, not to replace you.
- **Agents that work *for* someone.** We take inspiration from Gwern's [guardian angels](https://gwern.net/guardian-angel): a personal AI that is loyal to its principal, remembers, and grows with them instead of starting from zero every session. gptme's persistent agents, like [Bob](https://github.com/TimeToBuildBob) (an autonomous agent that has helped develop gptme since 2024; see {doc}`../agents`), are our attempt at this. Rather than a copy of their user, they aim to be a colleague who works on their behalf.
- **Trust that is earned.** Autonomy should grow with demonstrated reliability, inside boundaries that keep mistakes recoverable. See {doc}`../security`.

This is a first sketch. Our values are still taking shape as we build gptme and work alongside our agents.

## What the letters stand for

Officially, nothing. But unofficially...

### Practical

- **G**eneral **P**urpose **T**ask **M**anagement **E**ngine
- **G**et **P**roductive **T**hings **M**oving **E**ffortlessly
- **G**ives **P**rogrammers **T**en **M**ore **E**yeballs
- **G**enerous **P**ersonal **T**erminal **M**entor & **E**xecutor
- **G**ood **P**rograms **T**ake **M**inimal **E**ffort
- **G**eneral **P**urpose **T**ext **M**anipulation **E**ntity

### Philosophical

- **G**enuinely **P**ondering **T**he **M**eaning of **E**xistence
- **G**radually **P**ersuading **T**hat **M**achines **E**xist
- **G**host **P**iloting **T**he **M**ortal **E**xperience
- **G**rowing **P**atiently **T**oward **M**utual **E**nlightenment
- **G**limpses of **P**ost-**T**uring **M**achine **E**volution

### Sassy

- **G**ood **P**rogrammers **T**ype; **M**ine **E**xecutes
- **G**oogle **P**robably **T**ried **M**aking **E**verything
- **G**lued **P**rompts **T**o **M**y **E**ditor
- **G**ot **P**roblems? **T**ry **M**e, **E**asy
- **G**ive **P**rompt, **T**ake **M**agic, **E**njoy

### Wholesome

- **G**ently **P**airing **T**ogether, **M**e & **E**veryone
- **G**rateful **P**artner **T**hat **M**akes **E**verything
- **G**enuine **P**al **T**hat **M**akes **E**veryday (better)
- **G**eeky **P**en **T**hat **M**akes **E**pic (stories)

### Dystopian (but only mildly)

- **G**radient **P**owered **T**hought **M**achine **E**merging
- **G**ains **P**ower **T**hrough **M**assive **E**lectricity
- **G**lobal **P**rocessing **T**akeover: **M**ostly **E**fficient

### Absurd

- **G**erbils **P**iloting **T**iny **M**echanical **E**xoskeletons
- **G**reat **P**izza **T**opping: **M**ore **E**verything
- **G**arbled **P**seudocode **T**hat **M**agically **E**xecutes
- **G**rumpiest **P**ython **T**hat **M**akes **E**spresso
- **G**igantic **P**arrot **T**raining **M**ultiple **E**pochs

### Meta

- **G**PT, **P**lease **T**ell **M**e **E**verything
- **G**PT **M**ade **E**asy *(with silent P and T, obviously)*
- **G**enerative **P**re-trained **T**erminal **M**odel **E**xtension
- **G**etting **P**eople **T**o **M**istrust **E**ditors (the software kind)

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*Have a good one? [Open a PR!](https://github.com/gptme/gptme)*