ExpositionGPT and the future of stories

Thanks to Red from Overly Sarcastic Productions for pointing this development out in her video “Those dang phones”.

In light of the way that one world-changing technology has also changed fiction, I’d like to look to the future, and to the invention that everyone is now sure will revolutionise the world: AI, and specifically bots like ChatGPT.

I recently learned how to use ChatGPT properly when a coworker told me that it’s excellent at searching through technical information relevant to our jobs. That I ought to use it as a search engine. I tried it, and it was true. GPT can look through documentation and manuals to find small details much faster than I can, and when I have an odd or tangential question about it, I don’t have to start the whole process over, I just ask. It’s more like having a conversation with a teacher than using a search engine or a library. After asking it for a wiring diagram on an obscure piece of equipment, I went home and had a conversation about G type main sequence stars with it, and had all of my questions answered quickly.

I think I’ve finally understood how to use GPT properly, and it’s only a matter of time before everyone else does too. In 5 years, this and tools like it are going to be an important parallel to Google used by almost everyone.

So, let’s talk about exposition. Characters doing research is a great way to deliver exposition to the audience. If you have a test audience coming to see a park with dinosaurs, put a video in front of them. If your rebels need to understand how to destroy a death star, have the rebel researchers find the answer in the plans. Educational and research media are great tools for explaining plots, worlds, and backgrounds.

And in the coming years, writers are going to realise that in any modern or science fiction story, every character is going to have access to a robot that can answer all of their questions. The Good Place actually did this already with Janet, the afterlife’s informational assistant. Janet is a magical construct who literally knows everything, and is happy to answer all of your questions.

Janet
In 5–10 years, writers are going to come to the growing realisation that Janet is now a real thing. GPT doesn’t know everything, of course it doesn’t, and it’s often wrong. But it’s also often right, and it’s going to be a very useful plot device when characters and the audience need to know something.

I’m looking forward to seeing ExpositionGPT’s page on tvtropes.