Making digital machines or software smart enough to recognize patterns in human languages and emotions, and then utilize those patterns to create narrative arcs and characters, has been a goal for storytellers for quite some time. AI in storytelling, which is developing all aspects of story production including idea generation, character building, plot development, and dialogue, is changing the fabric of storytelling as we know it. From virtual assistants that can tell stories to screenwriting and novel writing software, AI has changed the way we think about stories and their telling.
AI in Storytelling: A Brief Overview
By definition, AI is defined as machines and algorithms programmed to learn from data and solve problems in ways that have traditionally required human intelligence. Storytelling, on the other hand, is the art of crafting a narrative that engages the reader or viewer and transports them to another world. So, how can these two apparently incompatible concepts come together?
To answer this question, we need to understand that storytelling has always been a medium through which people communicate messages, beliefs, and ideas to each other. Storytelling is not limited to works of fiction, but is also integral to business presentations, advertising, marketing, and education. Naturally, as technological advances continue to influence and shape our social and cultural landscapes, the use of AI in storytelling is becoming increasingly widespread.
AI is allowing us to create stories that are more intricate, captivating, and richer in detail. Simply put, AI has the capability to remove the mundane elements from story creation that consume time and effort, freeing up the writer to focus on narrative, dialogue, and pacing. Some of the ways in which AI is used in storytelling include:
### AI Virtual Storytellers
Nowadays, people are looking for more immersive stories that take them on a journey beyond what they read. AI virtual storytellers are a new technology that allows people to experience stories in a totally unique fashion. There are already some virtual assistants such as Google Home, which comes with a function that lets you ask it to tell you a story. The assistant will use machine learning algorithms to come up with a story that is designed to suit your personality and interests. It can even take cues from your browsing history and email to create a more personalized story that transcends the typical one-size-fits-all offering that overwhelms us with too much content but leaves us lacking meaning.
### Character and Personality Creation
Writing characters with social, cultural, historical, and psychological depth is no small feat. AI can help writers create characters that are more fleshed out by assisting them in figuring out how a character will react in a given situation. AI can also help authors match up characters based on their personality, backstory, interests, and potential storyline to create a more cohesive narrative. With AI, writers can create characters with a more extensive backstory, and develop a detailed life history with individual quirks and interests that is difficult to achieve through traditional methods.
### Plot Development and Pacing
The pacing of a story determines how it unfolds from the very start to the very end. AI can help shape the arc of a narrative by mapping out the pacing and structure that helps to create a cohesive finished product. The application of AI in plot development can also help writers insert twists into their stories, making them more exciting and elevating the entire reading experience.
### Dialogue Creation
AI software, such as Cleverbot and Mitsuku, is used to learn natural language and the linguistic intricacies of different cultures. This tool is relevant for authors who want to write characters with a different accent, dialect, or sociolect than their own. AI software can help writers by building language models that conform with real-world speech patterns, and thereby enhance the underlying coherence of the narrative.
### Continuous Improvement
AI is not only useful for creating stories from scratch, but also has the ability to analyze existing works of literature, determining what makes them successful or not. By scrutinizing the patterns, structures, and language choices within a piece of writing, AI can help writers make steps towards improving various aspects of their work, whether it be pacing, dialogue, or character development.
Despite its many benefits, AI does face several challenges when it comes to storytelling. The core issue is that AI relies on a model, or a set of rules, by which it determines how to write. AI can learn new things, but only if it is fed a sample of existing data. Simply put, AI is dependent on the data that it receives to learn, making the output, in serendipitous terms, only as good as the data it is given. Secondly, AI is limited in its ability to understand and interpret human emotions, which can be a major barrier when creating empathetic and captivating characters or evoking complex emotions within the reader. Finally, AI cannot replace human creativity, as stories are ultimately subjective, and what makes them great cannot be reduced to maths or quantifiable metrics.
Conclusion
AI is a tool, but not a replacement for human creativity. AI can help writers in many aspects of their craft. However, it is imperative that writers continue to cultivate their own creativity and sharpen their storytelling skills. AI in storytelling will continue to evolve and improve in exciting and novel ways, allowing humans to explore new narrative territory, creating richer, more soulful stories that engage, astound and inspire.