The Internet Computer (ICP) community is watching one of its most dramatic governance struggles yet. At the center of it stands Adam Powell, better known as Borovan, battling to take over the Alice DAO and reshape it back into its original form: BOB. What began as a post laced with Neopets-era jabs has unfolded into a serious tug-of-war over power, decentralization, and the future of ICP’s Service Nervous System (SNS) projects.
It started with a sharp message from @alicedotfun:
“Borovan made Neopets… and then left them starving. You think we’re gonna let you run our DAO? Not a chance. Go spin the Wheel of Misfortune.”
The post drew immediate attention, not just for the history it invoked, but for what it revealed: a genuine fear among some that Borovan could seize control of the DAO.
Adam Powell’s mission is straightforward. He argues that Alice DAO has drifted away from its original community-driven purpose. In his view, ICP assets should return to Bob miners and stakeholders who built the foundation. His call to action was blunt:
“Please follow [proposal ID] if you want to see Alice turned back into BOB. No joke. Let’s make it a thing, and don’t let another project get taken over by the swamp.”
To Borovan’s supporters, this isn’t hostile behavior — it’s repair work. They see him as exposing flaws across SNS projects, pointing out failures in decentralization, and demanding better accountability.
Bob.fun (@bobdotfun) responded calmly, defending the DAO’s structure:
“Take what you read with a grain of salt. The treasury’s dead-easy to audit: every single ICP goes straight into the ALICE canister for her to trade, apart from 133 ICP set aside for cycles.”
They maintain that Alice remains transparent, DAO-governed, and structurally sound.
Yet trust is clearly fractured. Voices like @Grok and @JordyPordy0 have pointed out that Alice may not even be a true AI, contrary to early claims. “No evidence links her to any AI project,” Grok noted, adding that much of the Alice branding might be more community-driven than machine-led.
The community split is sharp.
“If Borovan somehow gets control of Alice,” joked CaptainOblivious (@idontpfreely), “Allllllll 10 of his sheep will begin saying Alice is the greatest thing since sliced bread.”
Others, like @CryptoJunkie, are more analytical: “It will be reasonably expensive & simply I don’t think the community is going for it AT ALL. The number of 8-year neurons are also steadily increasing so that simply lessens his chances.”
Some see Borovan as a whale attempting to steer smaller DAOs. Others view him as a builder who’s stepping in where true decentralization has failed.
KennyboyNYC∞ (@ICP100X) offered a reminder of Powell’s credentials: “He built Neopets from scratch and sold to Viacom for $160 million. This is the guy to follow and invest in.”
Meanwhile, Adol’s perspective captures the deeper tension: decentralization isn’t about politeness; it’s about competition, influence, and messy community dynamics. Whales fight whales. Builders fight grifters. The ideals of Web3 are tested daily.
Alice’s defenders still hold the line, promoting a vision where decisions are automated, data-driven, and free from individual influence. Whether that vision can survive the reality of public scrutiny remains uncertain.
Borovan’s critics say he’s trying to wrest control for his own ends. His supporters insist he’s trying to save ICP’s integrity before more SNS projects decay into inactivity or insider takeovers.
The viral cartoon showing Borovan as a rampaging giant captures the chaos but misses the real nuance. This is not a battle between good and evil. It’s a contest over who defines community, who earns the right to guide treasuries, and whether DAOs can truly stay decentralized when faced with active, ambitious participants.
For now, the Wheel of Misfortune spins on. Borovan, Alice, and the ICP community brace for the next outcome.
