ChatGPT

I just signed on to the artificial-intelligence model called ChatGPT which interacts in a conversational way, given a prompt.

You can find it at this link: https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt/

What amazed me was the speed with which the AI was able to write a story given a prompt.

The prompt I entered:
Write a short fiction story of no more than 500 words about a nervous woman named Felicity who wants to be a singer but cannot carry a tune and her mean mother tramples all over her confidence

And here is the story the AI wrote:

Felicity stood nervously in front of the bathroom mirror, trying to steady her shaking hands. She had always dreamed of being a singer, but her mean mother had always told her that she couldn't carry a tune to save her life. Felicity knew deep down that she wasn't the best singer, but she still wanted to try. She had signed up for the local talent show, and tonight was her chance to prove her mother wrong.

As she applied her lipstick, Felicity couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over her. She knew that her mother would be in the audience, watching her every move and judging her every note. Felicity had always been sensitive to criticism, and the thought of her mother's scorn was almost too much to bear.

Despite her nerves, Felicity took a deep breath and made her way to the stage. As she began to sing, she could feel her voice shaking. She tried her best to keep going, but she knew that she wasn't hitting the notes quite right.

As she finished her song, Felicity could see the disappointment in her mother's eyes. She quickly gathered her things and made her way offstage, tears streaming down her face.

As she made her way home, Felicity couldn't help but feel defeated. She had always known that she wasn't the best singer, but she had hoped that maybe, just maybe, she could prove her mother wrong. But as she walked through the door, her mother was waiting for her with a smug look on her face.

"I told you that you couldn't carry a tune," her mother sneered. "You might as well give up on your singing dreams now."

Felicity's heart sank, and she retreated to her room, feeling defeated and alone. But as she sat on her bed, something inside her began to stir. She knew that she wasn't the best singer, but she also knew that she loved to sing. She decided then and there that she wasn't going to let her mother's cruel words hold her back any longer.

The next day, Felicity signed up for singing lessons. She worked hard, week after week, until her voice began to improve. And when the next talent show rolled around, Felicity took the stage with confidence. She sang her heart out, and when she finished, the audience erupted into applause.

As she took her final bow, Felicity caught a glimpse of her mother in the audience. For the first time, she saw a hint of pride in her mother's eyes. And as Felicity walked offstage, she knew that she had finally proved her mother wrong. She could carry a tune, and she could follow her dreams no matter what anyone else said.

 

On the second try, I gave the AI the start of the story and told it to complete the story with no more than 500 words.

The prompt entered:

Felicity made a wondrous discovery. When she sang, the voice of an angel escaped her lips—a soprano. She practiced scales in her bedroom. “La—la—la—la—la—la—LAH!” —Ending with open hands high up in the air.

Her mother yelled from the living room. “Quit that screeching!”

Mom’s lack of musical appreciation did not daunt her. What did the old bat know, sitting all day in her comfy chair with a tequila and her cigarettes, watching Maury Povich? Smiling into the mirror, Felicity promised herself, “You’re going to be a star.”

How the AI completed the story:

Felicity continued to practice her singing every chance she got, determined to become a star. She knew that she had a special talent, and she was determined to share it with the world.

She started performing at local coffee shops and bars, always striving to improve her skills. And as she sang, people began to take notice. Her angelic voice and natural stage presence were undeniable, and she quickly gained a loyal following.

As her career started to take off, Felicity's mother couldn't help but take notice. She had always been skeptical of Felicity's singing dreams, but she couldn't deny that her daughter had talent. And as Felicity's name started to spread, her mother began to feel a sense of pride that she had never felt before.

One night, Felicity received a call from a big-time talent agent. They had heard about her incredible voice and wanted to represent her. Felicity was over the moon with excitement and couldn't wait to tell her mother the good news.

When she broke the news to her mother, the old woman's eyes filled with tears. "I always knew you had talent," she said, "I just didn't know how to express it. I'm sorry for doubting you."

Felicity couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had always known that her mother loved her, but she had never heard her say something like this before. She hugged her mother tightly and promised that she would make her proud.

And as Felicity's career continued to soar, she made good on that promise. She became a beloved soprano, known for her angelic voice and captivating stage presence. And as she stood on the stage, belting out her songs to a packed audience, Felicity couldn't help but feel grateful for the journey that had brought her to this moment. She had followed her dreams and proved her mother wrong, and she knew that anything was possible if she set her mind to it. The end

 

Have you tried sudowrite? I'm wondering how different the results would be the same prompt.

One thing I noticed is that the story is grammatically correct, has a coherent story, but is repetitive, not just in the sentence structure but even some of the basic meaning of some of the sentences. How many times do we need to hear that Felicity knew she wouldn't be a great singer? Also, it uses a lot of 'As constructions', more than I would use in a 500 word span.

 

It seems grammatically correct, but there is not a lot of depth or nuance or twists and turns. What would you say? About a sixth grade level?

No, I have never heard of sudowrite, but I just went to the site and put in the same prompt:
Write a short fiction story of no more than 500 words about a nervous woman named Felicity who wants to be a singer but cannot carry a tune and her mean mother tramples all over her confidence

This is what the AI at sudowrite came up with:

Felicity drove her car, singtalking to herself in a low croon, trying not to pay attention to her mother’s harsh words ringing in her ears.
"You'll never make it, Felicity," her mother had said. "You can't carry a tune in a bucket. Don't be a fool and embarrass yourself and your father."

But the words hadn't stopped the determined young woman from driving to her singing audition. She had worked so hard for this chance and she was determined to make it count. In her rearview mirror, she saw her own reflection - wide, scared eyes, full of wonder and anticipation. She tried to force a smile onto her lips, but it just wouldn't come.

Felicity adjusted the rearview mirror and glanced out the window. The sun was starting to set, casting a warm, rosy hue over the land. She drove past rolling hills, lush green fields, and trees laden with pink and white blossoms. This was the world she wanted to explore, and she was determined to make it happen.

The sky darkened as she continued along the winding country road, and the stars began to appear. They twinkled in the sky like diamonds, and she felt a spark of hope ignite inside her. She inhaled deeply, letting the fresh night air fill her lungs, and her spirits lifted.

Soon, she arrived at the small theatre where she was to audition. She parked the car and grabbed her bag. She glanced at herself in the mirror, and her stomach twisted into knots. She was here, but could she really do it?

She took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. She found a quiet spot behind the theatre, and she began to practice her songs. Whenever doubts threatened to overwhelm her, she pushed them away and focused on the music.

Eventually, the time came to enter the theatre. Felicity stood in the wings, her heart pounding. All around her, people bustled with energy and excitement. She felt small and insignificant, but she reminded herself that she had as much right as anyone else to be here.

Suddenly, she heard her name called, and it was time. She walked onto the stage, and the theatre filled with light. She opened her mouth and sang, letting her voice ring out through the theatre. All her worries and doubts vanished, and she felt like she was floating in the air.

When she finished, the theatre erupted into applause, and Felicity couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. She had done it! She had faced her fears and given it her all. For the first time in her life, she felt an inner confidence that she had never had before.

 

Maybe with a more detailed prompt you get a better story.

 

It seems the AI is programmed to provide happy endings.

 

Ten thousand monkeys with ten thousand typewriters would do better.

 

I agree the ChatGPT is not very rich in the writing but the Sudowrite seems to provide a better output that might be useful for some early stages for beginner writers (maybe). Or maybe the current capabilities are more like a crutch that reinforce bad habits, I don't know.

I tried entering a prompt in Sudowrite, but wasn't sure how to get it to treat it like a prompt. It seemed like you just put a first paragraph and it went from there, so it didn't provide a story, instead it treated what I put as the start of a blurb or summary for a book (which it kind of was). For ChatGPL I just wrote the instructions on what to do and got a more complete story.

(By the way, this is an idea I got from watching this youtube video on slap fighting, I even considered replying to the 'Free Story Prompts' thread)

Here's what I wrote for Sudowrite:

'Aria Spiderjaw, a female faerie, enters the world of competitive slap fighting, dominating the U.S. circuit with her elastic cheeks and an unconventional attack: just a simple caress of her hand, and all of her opponents swoon and immediately lose the match. But then a mysterious opponent enters the league who is immune to her attack. But does he know her magical origin?'

And got this:

"Does he even want to? The book follows the story of Aria Spiderjaw, a wannabe champion slap fighter. Claiming to be a faerie, she uses her scarily elastic cheeks to her advantage, but to the dismay of the other champions, she loses the first round of the entire U.S. Circuit. After getting her behind slapped in her sleep, Aria wakes up one morning to find out that the whole world has changed overnight. Now slap fighters are the new celebrities, and Aria herself is a pop star with her own TV show and a cult following. However, she is completely unaware of her powers. After a series of interviews, Aria becomes suspicious of a strange man claiming that she is a faerie and sets out to find out where he got the idea from. After finding him, he tells Aria that she has a horrible secret and that she should not let anyone know about it because she could be in danger. At that point"

For ChatGPT I gave these instructions:

Write a story about Aria Spiderjaw, a female faerie who enters the world of competitive slap fighting, dominating the U.S. circuit with her elastic cheeks and an unconventional attack: just a simple caress of her hand, and all of her opponents swoon and immediately lose the match. But then a mysterious opponent enters the league who is immune to her attack. Aria seeks to find out if he knows her magical secret, but finds out the championship trophy is not his agenda.

and got this:

"Aria Spiderjaw was a mischievous faerie with a particular talent for competitive slap fighting. She had always been fascinated by the sport, and spent countless hours practicing and honing her skills. Aria's secret weapon was her elastic cheeks, which she could stretch and contract at will, delivering powerful slaps to her opponents.

But Aria's true talent lay in her unconventional attack. With just a simple caress of her hand, she could send her opponents swooning to the ground, unable to continue the match. This made her a force to be reckoned with on the U.S. circuit, and she quickly rose through the ranks to become the undisputed champion.

However, Aria's reign was not meant to last forever. A mysterious new opponent entered the league, who seemed immune to her charms. He was a formidable fighter, with a fierce determination that matched Aria's own.

Determined to find out if this newcomer knew her magical secret, Aria challenged him to a match. But as they faced off in the ring, she quickly realized that the championship trophy was not his ultimate agenda.

Instead, he revealed that he was a messenger sent by the Faerie Queen, who had a special task for Aria. The kingdom was in danger, and only she had the power to save it.

Aria was hesitant at first, unsure if she was ready for such a great responsibility. But with the encouragement of her friends and the support of her opponent, she reluctantly agreed to take on the challenge.

Together, Aria and the mysterious fighter set out on a journey to save the kingdom and defeat the evil forces that threatened it. Along the way, Aria discovered that her true strength lay not in her elastic cheeks or her unconventional attack, but in her heart and her determination to do what was right.

In the end, Aria emerged victorious, hailed as a hero by the people and praised by the Faerie Queen herself. And as she stood tall, gazing out over the kingdom she had saved, Aria knew that she had found her true calling, and that her journey as a competitive slap fighter was far from over."

 

I know this was shared here (by me? Don't remember) a few years ago, but the machine learning Harry Potter fanfic is genius. Linking to the people that made it:

https://botnik.org/content/harry-potter.html

 

A spark of imagination!

 

There was a scene in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy where one of the characters entered a short plot summary into a bot and then changed his mind but a minute later the book was already so popular across the galaxy he had to write a sequel.

 

This worries me, but not as much as I think it should. I doubt if much of the software's output would be much worse than a lot of the stuff I run across using Kindle Unlimited.

https://www.theverge.com/23520625/chatgpt-openai-amazon-kindle-novel

 

I worry about who will have the ultimate rights to stories once super AI have produced all the stories in the universe. We humans will not be able to compete with the machine if it grows too intelligent. We will become redundant, only exist for pleasure or pain.

 

First they came for our stories, then they came for our poetry ...

Yes, there's poetry-writing AI. Before Ai-Da wrote the poem below, she read Dante's Divine Comedy, in its entirety, for inspiration.

“We looked up from our verses like blindfolded captives,
Sent out to seek the light; but it never came
A needle and thread would be necessary
For the completion of the picture.
To view the poor creatures, who were in misery,
That of a hawk, eyes sewn shut.”

Meet the robot that can write poetry and create artworks

 

Oh man! I've been in a lot of discussions about chatGPT lately... it's a cool software. It's fast at "generating" content. But as you all noticed, it lacks depth. Why? Because what we perceive as depth comes from human perspective. There is a lot of power in what is not said, and AI software doesn't have the ability to apply subtext and unspoken nuance. You tell it to write a story, it will give you a beginning, middle, and end. It will likely give you some conflict, a form of climax, and a resolution. The thing is, not all stories have a tidy resolution. Even at 500 words.

 

I just tried ChatGPT after seeing your post. I was blown away by the quick storytelling!

 

I threw a prompt and got a heartfelt story. Also, I found the [link deleted by moderator] here. I can't wait to explore more. Thanks for sharing the link!

 

Writing is like having a finicky dirt bike. Riding the bus is much more sensible than shredding woods trails.

But is the destination the thing, or is that well-executed creek crossing halfway there? Were you really happier riding the bus while someone else - or something else - drove for you?

 

That would be the one whose only 2 posts were on this thread, and were totally and avidly pro-AI? (I already know the answer to that.)

We seem to have certain people who do that—post only on AI threads, and only in complete unmitigated support of it. Some of them may be human.