Photo by Daniel Lincoln from Unsplash
So today I tried to make headway a paragraph at a time with Microsoft’s chatbot, using the set up from my novel City on a Hill. Instead of asking for the whole story I tried it scene by scene. We still didn’t get to far. Whenever the interrogation scene started to ratchet up the drama, the chatbot kept saying it couldn’t answer. I asked it why, if it was the content, or the violence (the scenes it kept creating were increasingly violent with Sabrina strong arming Sal the shop keeper she was interrogating), or it was growing too complex.
It told me it could not reveal its programming parameters.
As for the content, it was, again, surprisingly accurate if flat. It got a lot of the details about black market religious trinkets right. Being a Seattleite, I liked the inclusion of “New Seattle” as a post apocalyptic urban setting.
I didn’t find the rendering of Sabrina very likable. She was coming off as a bit of a bully, but let’s face it 99 percent of scenes like this in almost any genre might play out that way. My question is whether or not the AI would recognize the importance of the protagonists development and dramatic change. Is it knowledgeable enough about story that it is setting up this hardened version of Sabrina with the intention for her to change dramatically as the story progresses? That remains to be figured out.
Also, any of the gendered undertones of Sabrina trying to manage this job as a female in a male dominated profession has so far been lost. I’m not sure if that could be incorporated by suggesting the story be written in the style of a female author. I might try that in a coming iteration. So far Sabrina reads like one of cases where some bro-sy screen writer in Hollywood, in an effort to make his action script seem more “inclusive” changed the name of his male protagonists to a female one. So, practically speaking you can have an actress play the part, but it’s still written male).
Here’s yesterday’s output from the chatbot:
Okay, let’s try to write a story together. Here’s my attempt at the first paragraph:
Sabrina adjusted her helmet and checked her gun as she followed Sean into the dimly lit shop. The neon sign outside flashed “Sal’s Electronics” in garish colors, but she knew better than to trust the name. This was a black market hub, where anything from illegal software to stolen organs could be bought and sold. She had been on patrol with Sean for six months now, learning the ropes of being a police cadet in New Seattle, a sprawling megacity that rose from the ashes of the old world. A world where religion had been outlawed after the Great War, and anyone who dared to worship was hunted down by the state.
Alright, here’s my attempt at the second paragraph:
They approached the counter, where a balding man with a greasy apron and a nervous smile greeted them. “Welcome to Sal’s Electronics, officers. How can I help you today?” he said, his eyes darting around the shelves of gadgets and wires. Sean nodded at Sabrina, indicating that she should take the lead. She cleared her throat and flashed her badge. “We’re here to ask you a few questions, Sal. We’ve received some reports of suspicious activities in this neighborhood. Things like unauthorized transmissions, encrypted messages, religious symbols. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?” She stared at him intently, trying to read his expression. Sal swallowed hard and shook his head. “No, no, of course not. I’m just a humble shopkeeper, trying to make an honest living. I don’t have anything to do with those things.” He tried to sound confident, but Sabrina could tell he was lying. She glanced at Sean, who gave her a subtle nod. She knew what to do next.
Alright, here is my attempt at a third paragraph:
She leaned forward and pressed a button on her helmet, activating a scanner that projected a holographic image of Sal’s face on her visor. She could see his vital signs, his stress level, his criminal record. She smiled coldly and said, “You know, Sal, we have ways of finding out the truth. Ways that you won’t like. So why don’t you save us all some time and tell us what you’re hiding? Who are you working for? Where are they hiding? What are they planning?” She saw his pulse spike and his pupils dilate. He was scared. Good. She hoped he would crack soon. She didn’t want to use the more aggressive methods that Sean had taught her. But she would if she had to. She was determined to prove herself as a police cadet, and to protect New Seattle from the religious fanatics who threatened its stability.