Blog: I Made AI Write a Story. It Was…Something.

Well, I’ve come up with some armor and picture reviews from Bing’s AI program in the past few months, but now it’s time to put its creative abilities to the test in the form of writing. I’ve had this idea floating around in the back of my mind for a while now as I thought about how many people are now using AI to write school essays and how the writer’s guild was afraid of AI taking their jobs last year. So, can AI write as well as a human or is it completely soulless? Can it write something decent? Will it really replace humans when it comes to writing? Let’s find out.

To start out, my prompt was a simple command: “Write a story.”

Obviously, this wasn’t enough for the AI, as it is still somewhat dependent on the whims of whoever is using it. However, when I used the pre-generated prompt of “Suprise me with something unexpected,” it was able to come up with something which was this:

The Enchanted Library

In the heart of [city near where I live (How does the AI know where I live?!)], nestled between modern skyscrapers, stood an old, forgotten library. It was a place where time seemed to stand still, with dusty shelves and ancient books that whispered secrets to those who dared to listen.

One rainy evening, a young woman named Elara stumbled upon the library while seeking shelter from the storm. She pushed open the heavy wooden doors and was greeted by the scent of aged paper and leather. As she wandered through the dimly lit aisles, she noticed a peculiar book glowing faintly on a high shelf.

Curiosity piqued, Elara reached for the book. As soon as her fingers touched the cover, the room around her began to shimmer and fade. She found herself transported to a lush, enchanted forest, where the trees whispered in a language she couldn’t understand, and the air was filled with the sound of distant, melodic laughter.

Elara soon discovered that the forest was home to a group of mystical creatures who had been trapped in the book for centuries. They explained that only someone with a pure heart could free them, and Elara was their chosen one. To break the spell, she needed to solve a series of riddles hidden throughout the forest.

With each riddle she solved, the forest grew brighter, and the creatures regained their strength. Along the way, Elara made friends with a mischievous sprite named Finn and a wise old owl named Orin. Together, they navigated the forest’s challenges, from crossing a river of dreams to deciphering the stars’ secrets.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Elara solved the last riddle. The forest erupted in a burst of light, and the creatures were freed from their magical prison. As a token of their gratitude, they gifted Elara a pendant that allowed her to return to the enchanted forest whenever she wished.

Elara returned to the library, the book now just an ordinary tome. She left the library with a sense of wonder and a heart full of new friends and adventures. From that day on, she knew that magic was real and that sometimes, the most unexpected places could lead to the most extraordinary journeys.

Why does this story honestly feel like a thorough synopsis of a plot that could have made a good short story?

It was at this point that I realized that AI really cannot generate a good story by itself. With this in mind, I gave it another prompt, this time telling it to add some dialogue and more character depth. It stayed pretty much the same as before, but added some dialogue and character depth to the last half of the story…

As Elara wandered through the forest, she heard a rustling in the bushes. Out popped a tiny sprite with sparkling wings and a cheeky grin.

“Who are you?” Elara asked, startled.

“I’m Finn,” the sprite replied, hovering in the air. “And you must be the one to free us. About time someone showed up!”

Elara smiled. “I’m Elara. What do I need to do?”

Finn’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “First, you need to solve a riddle. Ready?”

Elara nodded, determined. “Ready.”

Finn recited the riddle: “I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?”

Elara thought for a moment. “An echo?”

Finn clapped his tiny hands. “Correct! You’re smarter than you look.”

As they continued their journey, they encountered Orin, the wise old owl perched on a branch.

“Greetings, Elara,” Orin hooted. “I see you’ve met Finn. He can be a handful, but he’s loyal.”

Finn stuck out his tongue playfully. “I heard that, Orin!”

Elara laughed. “It’s nice to meet you, Orin. Can you help us with the next riddle?”

Orin nodded sagely. “Of course. But first, tell me, Elara, why did you come to the library tonight?”

Elara’s expression softened. “I was looking for a place to escape. Life has been… overwhelming lately.”

Orin’s eyes glowed with understanding. “Sometimes, the most unexpected journeys lead to the greatest discoveries. Remember that, Elara.”

With Orin’s guidance, Elara and Finn continued their quest, solving riddles and growing closer as friends. Each challenge revealed more about Elara’s inner strength and the bond she shared with her new companions.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Elara solved the last riddle. The forest erupted in a burst of light, and the creatures were freed from their magical prison. As a token of their gratitude, they gifted Elara a pendant that allowed her to return to the enchanted forest whenever she wished.

Elara returned to the library, the book now just an ordinary tome. She left the library with a sense of wonder and a heart full of new friends and adventures. From that day on, she knew that magic was real and that sometimes, the most unexpected places could lead to the most extraordinary journeys.

It seems that so far, AI is only able to write a story that sounds like something that could go in my OG stories series. It lacks proper character depth and the dialogue feels cheap and stiff. On the bright side, the conclusion to the story is good. From this, I think that we can conclude that while you could probably make a decent story with AI’s help, you would need to do a good job refining it to make it any good and unless you had a really good AI system, I doubt you could write anything really long with it, such as a full-length novel.

Until next time,

M.J.