Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a concept that has been integrated into various industries to improve their efficiencies and facilitate exceptional user experiences. While the technology has its benefits, there is growing concern that its adoption could lead to unintended consequences that could impact humanity negatively. The dystopian drama series Black Mirror, which airs on Netflix, centers on this theme. The show’s creator, Charlie Brooker, is known for exploring the downsides of modern technology. Recently, Brooker decided to experiment with AI and test its capabilities to generate plot ideas for the series’ upcoming sixth season.
In an interview with Empire magazine, Brooker revealed that while writing the latest season of Black Mirror, he played around with ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer), an AI language model, to generate plot ideas. He typed “generate Black Mirror episode” into the AI system, and it generated something that appeared plausible at first glance, but upon closer examination, it was clear that it lacked originality. The AI had merely pulled synopses of Black Mirror episodes and combined them to produce new content. Brooker remarked that “there’s not actually any real original thought here.”
Black Mirror delves into the dangers of modern technology and how its negative effects can backfire on humanity. Each episode takes place in a different reality and features a story that explores a unique concept related to AI. Despite Brooker’s experiment with AI not producing any significant results, he believes that it gave him a new perspective while creating the upcoming season.
“I was aware that I had written lots of episodes where someone goes, ‘Oh, I was inside a computer the whole time,'” Brooker said. “So I thought, ‘I’m just going to chuck out any sense of what I think a Black Mirror episode is.'” He explained that he “stretched the parameters” and broke his situation comedy (sitcom) rule while creating the upcoming sixth season.
Brooker’s use of AI to generate plot ideas for Black Mirror highlights the increasing use of AI in creative industries. While AI has its benefits in terms of increasing efficiency and productivity, it is doubtful that it will be able to replace human creativity. However, AI can provide general suggestions or guidelines to humans, allowing them to come up with ideas that they may not have otherwise thought of.
In conclusion, AI technology has its limitations and is not yet advanced enough to create original content without human intervention. Despite some notable drawbacks, AI still has vast potential to enhance various industries and find solutions to complex challenges. As Charlie Brooker continues to push the boundaries of what modern technology can do with his upcoming season of Black Mirror, it is evident that while AI can be a valuable tool, it cannot replace human creativity and imagination.
