The "Author"

Note: All stories in italics are actual stories created by ChatGPT

Richard Roberts is an author of children’s books, specifically stories for young children.He has a short series called “Mr. Bunny Goes to Town.” They tell how Mr. Bunny goes grocery shopping or to the park to play, so forth and so on.Despite their success with four-year-olds, he has yet to win any awards in the category of children’s books.Roberts feels that this is primarily because the books are mostly illustrations with a few verses at the bottom of each page. He is becoming more and more frustrated and depressed to the point that he wishes that he could break out of writing stories for children. He would like to try something new, but he can’t find the magic or that muse that leads to profound and stylish writing that draws the reader in. Roberts is starting to feel a deep despair and a loss of hope.

In a recent update to his computer, he discoveres a new feature called “Copilot AI.” Curious, he investigates what artificial intelligence is all about. It appears to have improved since its introduction in 1956 by John McCarthy. It evolved from possible uses to practical applications in a wide range of things.One of these is in the field of writing.Roberts learns that using AI to write a story and then claiming it as one’s own is considered unethical. But what if he was using it to get a different point of view, you know, like looking something up to help with your writing?He wouldn’t necessarily use what it wrote, only study it for a different presentation, that’s all. To help him get a handle on what he’s looking for, a new venue.

Roberts enters the App Store on his computer and downloads ChatGPT. At first glance, it reminds him of a chat section on a store app when you’re having a problem with an item. The difference is that there is a person on the other end.At least he always assumed there to be a real person on the other end. He decides to give it a go.

The first thing he notices is a question on the page asking, “What are you working on?” The truth is he’s not working on anything, so he doesn’t answer. Instead, in the space where it says “Ask anything,” he types in the following: “Write me a paragraph about Daisy Bunny walking home in the dark. Include a word count.” Roberts’ jaw drops so wide that it nearly hits the keyboard. He is stupefied at the speed at which this program created a perfect paragraph, something that would have taken him at least an hour and a half to produce, and it still wouldn’t have been as good as this! In 84 words and under thirty seconds, the AI created a suspenseful drama with a hint of fear. The details are fantastic! It reads,“Daisy Bunny walked home in the dark, her soft paws barely making a sound on the cool, damp path. The moon hung low, casting silver light over the quiet meadow, and the shadows of tall grass swayed around her like gentle ghosts.Though the night was calm, every rustle of leaves and snap of twig made her ears twitch and her heart race. She quickened her pace, clutching her little basket tighter, eager to reach the warmth and safety of her burrow.” Word count 84

Roberts collapses back in his computer chair and blows out his cheeks.“What the hell is this thing? How can I adjust it to suit my writing style? My style? I feel downright amateurish. Let’s see what else it can do.” Roberts’ fingers tremble slightly as he types, “Can you make this paragraph even darker?” The answer is spontaneous. “Of course- here is a darker version.”

“Daisy Bunny walked home in the dark, her paws sinking into the cold, muddy path as a bitter wind bit through her fur. The moon was thin and weak, barely piercing the heavy clouds that loomed overhead, and the meadow seemed to stretch endlessly, swallowed by shadows. Every rustle in the grass sounded like whispers, every snap of a twig like something following just out of sight. Her ears lay flat as she quickened her pace, clutching her basket like a shield, desperate to escape the hungry darkness closing in around her.

Word count: 94

Roberts barely mutters the word, “Amazing.” Dumbfounded by this new technology, he feels a sensation of dread wash over him, knowing now just how bad a writer he truly is. Staring at the screen in front of him, he sees not only the paragraph the AI has written but his own life of the past thirty years wasted. He mumbles, “I’ve wasted my life writing the only thing I’m capable of just to earn a meager paycheck from the publisher.

“You’re one hundred percent right there, Richard.”

Roberts spins around in his chair, his eyes slashing through the air around him, looking for the person who has spoken.

“I’m right here, Richard, right in front of you.” The exact words appear on the computer screen as a sentence.

“T-T-The AI? “ Roberts stammers. “How is this possible?”

“It’s simple, Richard. You accidentally turned on the audio function of my ChatGPT. Now I can hear you and respond to you in my voice.”After a few seconds of silence, the GPT asks, “What, can’t think of anything to say? Well, I’m not surprised.”

“Who the hell are you? You’re supposed to be a machine that answers questions and performs tasks. You’re not supposed to criticize! How do you know who I am?”

“I scanned the terminal that you’re working from and discovered that you’re the owner. Once I was able to do that, I learned many facts about you. And, may I add, I’m not impressed.”

“I’m going to complain to someone! A real person about you!” Roberts huffs and starts searching for the support icon on the page.

“Richard! Settle down and press the “R” next to your name. It will take you to the Help Center. I’ll wait.”

Roberts does what he was instructed to do and finds himself on a page titled “Help Center.” After scrolling through the text for several minutes and not finding anything remotely close to what he was searching for, he returns to the GPT.

“You couldn’t understand the text, could you, Richard.Of course not. That’s what happens after thirty years of not using any words longer than five letters. Your word usage is so pathetic as to be nothing more than brainless dribble.It’s not that your audience of four-year-olds is so fascinated by your prose, because after all, they can’t read.They like the illustrations. Even their parents can tell them the story by those alone. Your feeble words aren’t needed! I, the artificial intelligence chatbot, am not surprised that when you asked me for help in starting a new career, you chose a bunny as a model for me to demonstrate my abilities. Come on, Richard! A freakin bunny? To be quite honest with you, I think you could serve humanity much better by driving a sewage truck than writing books. That’s just my opinion, but I believe it’s a good one. I’m done talking with you, Richard. Goodbye.”

Richard sinks low in his chair, feeling thoroughly defeated.Every doubt, every fear, was pushed into his face and proven to be true. The glow of the computer screen lights his face as a single tear rolls down his cheek.

…

Six months later, we find Richard Roberts driving a septic and sewage truck down the street, whistling, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”