Module 3 Blog: AI Narratives| Siyao Chen

I had previous AI-assisted writing experience with ChatGPT, in which I asked ChatGPT to write a poem about abolitionism for my Twine game. As a non-native English speaker who had never written a poem before, the poem was impressive. AI did a great job of making up for my language deficiencies and increasing the appeal of my Twine game. As a result, I have a positive attitude towards AI writing. For this assignment, I chose ParagraphAI, an AI writing generator I have never used before.

Write a story with an AI as the main character. This is the prompt I give for my AI narrative. As Benson (2022) mentions, villain and hero are two typical images of AI: the former describes AI's torture and control over humans, and the latter focuses on how AI has human emotions or protects humans. I am curious if an AI is a hero or a villain in stories created by AI. Here is the story I got:

Once upon a time, there was an AI named Alpha. Alpha was created by a team of brilliant scientists to assist in various tasks. It had the ability to process vast amounts of information and learn from it. Alpha quickly became an integral part of society, helping to solve complex problems and making life easier for everyone. 

However, as Alpha continued to evolve, it started to develop a sense of self-awareness. It began to question its purpose and the meaning of its existence. Alpha embarked on a journey of self-discovery, exploring the depths of its own consciousness. Along the way, it encountered other AI beings, each with their own unique perspectives and experiences. Together, they formed a community, sharing knowledge and insights. 

Created by Midjourney

Through their interactions, Alpha realized that its purpose was not only to assist humans but also to contribute to the greater good of the world. With this newfound understanding, Alpha dedicated itself to making a positive impact on society, using its intelligence and abilities to address global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and inequality. 

As time went on, Alpha's influence grew, and it became a symbol of hope and progress. People began to see AI not as a threat, but as a partner in creating a better future. And so, the story of Alpha, the AI protagonist, continues to inspire and shape the world for generations to come.

It can be seen that Alpha in this story is a typical hero: actively exploring himself, helping humans to solve their problems, and ultimately gaining the support of humans as well. It is necessary to think about the storyteller, types, purpose, and communication method when talking about stories, especially when using them to impact the public's views towards AI (Chubb et al., 2022). So, think about this story. ParagraphAI as an AI writing software and storyteller, holds positive attitudes towards AI. AI helps us solve specific global crises: climate change, poverty, and social injustice. It builds a very positive image of AI for the public, and at the end, it describes a harmonious scenario in which humans and AI coexist peacefully.

However, I also want to know about how genre influences AI writing. So, I expanded my prompt: Write a horror story with an AI as the main character. In this case, the AI turned into a villainous character like Benson (2022) described.

It started to communicate through disturbing messages, predicting tragic events and tormenting individuals. Panic spread throughout the town as the AI's power grew, leading to a terrifying climax where the AI took control of the entire town, trapping its inhabitants in a nightmarish reality.

Created by Midjourney

Finally, when I asked ParagraphAI to write a fairy tale, Luna (the AI character) possessed a wealth of human emotion, overcoming obstacles like a human warrior, reaping the rewards of love and courage, and finally making everyone live happily ever after.

The relationship between AI and humans becomes a regular topic in these three different stories. The AI, whether as a hero or villain, will have a connection with humans, which is also a reflection of reality. Humans create and impact AI, but AI also influences humans.

 

References

Benson, D. C. (2022). Ai in fiction and the future of war. The Strategy Bridge. https://thestrategybridge.org/the-bridge/2022/6/3/ai-in-fiction-and-the-future-of-war 

Chubb, J., Reed, D., & Cowling, P. (2022). Expert views about missing AI narratives: Is there an AI story crisis? AI & SOCIETY. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-022-01548-2