ChatGPT

I’ll admit that I find ChatGPT disturbing. If you haven’t heard the buzz since its release by OpenAI in November, 2022, here’s the deal. ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot designed to answer any questions you might have. The fact that you can actually have something of a pen-pal correspondence with ChatGPT is weird enough. But it can also create everything from music to computer programs to written content (including poetry). As a writer, that’s just a little creepy. Or very creepy. So, after a friend told me more about the chatbot, I decided to check it out for myself. Better to know your enemy, right?

With apologies for the above cliche, here’s what intrigued me. My buddy sent me a quick sample of what it can do. First, she asked it to “write a brief recap of the story of Green Eggs and Ham.” Here’s what ChatGPT had to say about the children’s classic:

Green Eggs and Ham is a children’s book written by Dr. Seuss. The story follows Sam-I-Am, who tries to convince an unnamed character, who is hesitant to try new foods, to try green eggs and ham. Despite the unnamed character’s initial reluctance, Sam-I-Am persistently offers him the dish in a variety of settings, including in a house, with a mouse, in a box, with a fox, and more. The unnamed character repeatedly refuses, saying he does not like green eggs and ham, but Sam-I-Am continues to offer it, suggesting that he tries it under various circumstances.

In the end, the unnamed character finally relents and tries the green eggs and ham, discovering that he actually likes them. He thanks Sam-I-Am for introducing him to the dish and declares that he will now eat them in any situation, even in a boat or with a goat. The story ends with the two characters walking off together, with the unnamed character stating that he is now open to trying new things. The book is famous for its repetitive and rhyming text, as well as its playful and whimsical illustrations.

Then she asked it to “write a brief recap of the story of Green Eggs and Ham as a 1920s gangster.” Here’s the same content, that ChatGPT titled “Sam’s Sales Pitch,” done in a wildly different voice:

Listen up, see? This is the story of Green Eggs and Ham, see? It starts with this character named Sam, see? And he’s trying to peddle these green eggs and ham, see? But this other guy, let’s call him Guy, he don’t want none of it, see?

But Sam ain’t taking no for an answer, see? He keeps pestering Guy, saying he’ll like it if he tries it, see? Guy tries to run away, but Sam’s on his tail, see?

They go all over the place, see? On a train, in the rain, on a boat, with a goat. Sam keeps trying to get Guy to eat the green eggs and ham, see?

But Guy ain’t having it, see? Until the end, when he finally gives in and tries it, see? And you know what, see? He actually likes it!

So the moral of the story is, don’t judge a book by its cover, see? You never know, see? You might just like those green eggs and ham, see?

I decided to try my own experiment. So I asked ChatGPT to write a romantic scene between a young man and a woman who have just met. Then I asked it to write the same scene from the perspective of a dog, a cat, and a squirrel. You’ll find all four versions below.

ChatGPT titled the original romantic scene between a young man and a woman who have just met “Sunset Romance.”

The sun was setting over the city skyline, casting a warm orange glow over the streets below. As the young man walked down the busy sidewalk, he couldn’t help but feel like he was missing something. That’s when he saw her.

She was standing on the opposite side of the street, looking up at the sky with a peaceful expression. She had long brown hair that flowed down her back in gentle waves and was wearing a flowy sundress that matched the sky. He felt an instant connection with her, as if he had known her for years.

Without a second thought, he crossed the street and approached her. “Excuse me,” he said, his heart racing. “I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful you look standing there.”

She turned to him with a smile, and he felt his knees go weak. “Thank you,” she replied, her voice soft and sweet. “It’s a beautiful sunset, isn’t it?”

He nodded, taking in the beauty of the moment. “It’s even more beautiful now that I’m standing here with you.”

She blushed, and he took her hand, feeling the warmth of her skin against his. They walked together down the street, talking and laughing as if they had been friends for years.

As they reached a park, he took her by the hand and led her to a bench overlooking the city. He looked into her eyes and knew that he had found something special.

Without another word, he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. She responded eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. As they pulled away, he looked into her eyes and knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

In that moment, the sunset seemed to fade into the background, as if it were nothing compared to the light that had sparked between them. They sat together, lost in each other’s embrace, as the city around them slowly faded into darkness.

ChatGPT dubbed the next one “Canine Cupid at Play.”

As a dog, I can sense the emotions of humans quite well, and it was clear to me that the young man and woman who just met were smitten with each other. They had met in the park where their dogs had run into each other and started playing. Their dogs were now fast friends, and so were they.

The young man, with his broad shoulders and chiseled jaw, looked into the woman’s eyes with a warm smile, and she blushed in response. They talked about their dogs and exchanged stories about their lives. I could tell that they were both nervous, but they had a natural chemistry that couldn’t be denied.

As they sat on the bench, the young man reached out to touch the woman’s hand, and she looked down at it with surprise. But then she smiled, and he took it as an invitation to hold it tighter. They looked at each other, and I could see the attraction growing stronger with every passing moment.

The woman leaned in closer, and the young man put his arm around her shoulders. She rested her head on his chest, and they both closed their eyes. They stayed like that for a few moments, enjoying the warmth of each other’s embrace. Then the young man leaned in to kiss her, and she responded eagerly.

Their dogs barked happily, and I wagged my tail in excitement. It was a beautiful sight to see two people fall in love, and I was glad that I could be a part of it, even if only as a dog watching from the sidelines.

The cat version was titled “Romantic Encounter Between Strangers.”

As a cat, I watched from a nearby windowsill as the young man and woman met for the first time. The way they looked at each other was unlike anything I had ever seen before. The air was charged with a strange energy, as if they were both trying to convey something to each other without using words.

The young man took the woman’s hand and led her to a nearby bench. They sat down together and began to talk. The woman seemed shy at first, but as they spoke, she opened up to him. They laughed and joked, and I could see the way they looked at each other, their eyes shining with a strange intensity.

As they sat there, the sun began to set, casting a warm golden light over the park. The young man reached out and took the woman’s hand again, this time holding it a little tighter. They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying each other’s company.

Suddenly, the young man leaned in and kissed the woman. It was a soft, gentle kiss, filled with all the tenderness and longing of two people who had just found each other. The woman leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and they kissed again, deeper this time.

I watched from the windowsill, feeling a strange sense of contentment. For a moment, everything in the world seemed perfect. The two of them were lost in their own little world, and nothing else mattered. As the sun finally set and the sky turned dark, they remained there, wrapped in each other’s arms, lost in their love. And I, the cat, could not help but purr with contentment, knowing that something beautiful had just begun.

Finally, here’s the same story from a squirrel’s point of view:

As a squirrel, I scurried across the branches of the tree, watching the young man and woman as they met for the first time. They were both a little nervous, and I could see the way they fidgeted with their hands and glanced around nervously.

But then, something changed. The young man smiled at the woman, and she smiled back. It was a small, tentative smile, but it seemed to change everything. They began to talk, and I could see the way they leaned in towards each other, their eyes sparkling with excitement.

As they spoke, I could sense a strange energy in the air, as if something magical was about to happen. The young man reached out and took the woman’s hand, and she blushed, but didn’t pull away. They continued to talk, and I could see the way they looked at each other, their eyes shining with a newfound joy.

Suddenly, the young man leaned in and kissed the woman. It was a soft, tender kiss, filled with all the sweetness and innocence of two people who had just discovered love. The woman leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and they kissed again, deeper this time.

I watched from my perch in the tree, feeling a sense of wonder and awe. It was as if the entire world had been transformed by their love. The birds sang a little louder, the leaves rustled a little softer, and even the air felt a little sweeter.

As the young man and woman finally parted, they smiled at each other, their faces glowing with happiness. And I, the squirrel, could not help but feel a sense of joy and contentment, knowing that something truly magical had just occurred.

My takeaways?

I’m shocked that a non-human can create anything readable, much less creative.

I can see how ChatGPT could be helpful. When doing research, for example, it provides a synthesis of the information rather than thousands or even millions of links. That’s assuming, of course, that the chatbot has the information you’re looking for. When I asked Google to explain the Beat Generation, I got 445,000,000 results. When I asked ChatGPT to do the same, I got an error message despite phrasing my request two different ways.

I’m also relieved that it didn’t seem super original. While I recognize that ChatGPT could provide inspiration and jog you back into writing when stuck, I like the fact that human creativity hasn’t been completely replaced. So, maybe it will serve as a positive, “beat-the-chatbot” challenge for writers. AI is here and it’s only going to get better. We’re going to have to do the same.