'Black Mirror' creator tried ChatGPT; the result was 'shit'
What's the story
Charlie Brooker's highly-acclaimed dystopian thriller series Black Mirror is set to make its comeback for Season 6 on June 15.
Before the release of the new installment on Netflix, Brooker revealed that he experimented with the generative AI tool ChatGPT to write an episode.
And, he thought the end product was "sh**."
Interestingly, Black Mirror delves into threats that technology poses to society.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Launched on November 30, 2022, ChatGPT, a generative AI and language-writing model, caused quite a stir worldwide.
In Hollywood, it sparked widespread unease, with concerns arising about chatbots being utilized for scriptwriting.
AI also became a significant reason for TV and film screenwriters to participate in the ongoing industry-wide strike, as they perceive AI as a readily available and cost-effective competitor in their field.
Statement
Brooker expressed his disappointment with the outcome
"I've toyed around with ChatGPT," Brooker shared in an interview with Empire.
"The first thing I tried was typing 'generate Black Mirror episode.' And it comes up with something that, at first glance, reads plausibly, but on second glance, is sh**."
The 52-year-old explained: "Because all it's done is look up all the synopses of Black Mirror episodes, and sort of mush them together."
Consequences
AI: One of the major factors in ongoing writers' strike
As mentioned, AI is also one of the contributing factors to the industry-wide strike called by the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
Danny Strong—creator of the Fox series, Empire—said, "AI is terrifying."
However, the primary focus of the strike is remuneration and the protests began in May after negotiations between the studios and the writers fell apart, and a new contract couldn't be drawn.
Reports
Flip side: Some writers are embracing AI as a tool
On the other hand, some writers in Hollywood are embracing artificial technology and incorporating them into their work, per reports.
According to an international report, writers from Peacock's show Mrs. Davis revealed that they utilized algorithms to generate episode titles.
Furthermore, in a video promotion for their show, co-creators Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof employed an AI visualizer program to enhance Mrs. Davis's premise.