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Mar 21, 2023

Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker Tried to Used AI to Write an Episode for the Show

Black Mirror's creator used ChatGPT to write the script for an episode of the

Black Mirror's creator used ChatGPT to write the script for an episode of the Netflix hit series.

Black Mirror will return very soon to Netflix's screen with its sixth season, after a long hiatus for one of the most successful series on the platform. Once again, the show will focus on the conflicts behind technological progress and our attachment to screens in daily life, always bringing their reflections to the extreme with mostly tragic stories.

Despite the fact that Black Mirror's episodes portray fictional situations, usually with elements that do not exist in our daily lives, many of the settings and technologies that the series presents do not seem far away at all. Many, in fact, are very close to becoming a reality or already are, as is the case of AI.

In recent months, artificial intelligence tools have made headlines thanks to their constant use for various tasks, and especially since the Hollywood writers' strike began, with many studios and companies willing to replace screenwriters on a temporary basis with these tools.

However, it is evident that the results that an AI can provide when developing a story is not of the same quality and attention to detail as those made by professionals who are dedicated to that. And Charlie Brooker, creator of Black Mirror, confirmed it firsthand.

One of the most popular AI tools is ChatGPT, and Brooker tried to used it to write an episode for the show, but the results were no good as he revealed to Empire Magazine:

"I’ve toyed around with ChatGPT a bit. The first thing I did was type 'generate Black Mirror episode' and it comes up with something that, at first glance, reads plausibly, but on second glance, is shit. Because all it's done is look up all the synopses of Black Mirror episodes, and sort of mush them together. Then if you dig a bit more deeply you go, 'Oh, there's not actually any real original thought here.' It's [1970s impressionist] Mike Yarwood — there's a topical reference."

It may not have worked for Brooker, but the famous AI already has some experience working on an episode of another popular series. South Park, the adult animated show has recently premiered an episode called Deep Learning, co-written by ChatGPT.

In this case, the intention was to further the message of the story, since the plot finds the protagonists using artificial intelligence to write essays for school and letters to their girlfriends, but when they are discovered, the institution begins to use a technology that detects the use of AIs to prevent it to happen again.

Technology continues to advance and will be increasingly present not only in the film industry, but also in everything that surrounds us, so filmmakers will have to adapt to using it, something that directors like James Cameron seek to do. The director recently revealed that he wants to make a new AI-focused Terminator movie, but wants to wait and see how their use progresses before working on the story.

Geek, movie and tv lover.