AI Wordsworth: Artificial Intelligence and the Literary Encounter
Submission Type
Paper
Start Date/Time (EDT)
19-7-2024 10:30 AM
End Date/Time (EDT)
19-7-2024 11:30 AM
Location
Algorithms & Imaginaries
Abstract
Visitors to Wordsworth Grasmere, a museum opened in the UK’s lake district in the 1930s to celebrate William Wordsworth, were invited to have a spoken conversation with an AI generated visual and audio version of the poet, based on an 1804 portrait and developed by award-winning software developers Rocketmakers. ‘AI Wordsworth’ uses natural language processing to generate human-like spoken responses to each visitor’s questions, building on several large language models. Each visitor was able to experience a unique conversation with the poet and ask questions about his life and work or anything else they chose.
The aim of project, a collaboration with Bath Spa University, was to help museums and other cultural organisations use AI technologies in a positive and constructive manner for visitor engagement and it offered an opportunity for researchers to explore the potential for the use of AI with museum archives and literary datasets to create a unique co-created literary encounter.
This presentation explores this AI visitor experience and examines its creative potential and the ethical issues it raises for public encounters with creative AI. It celebrates new horizons for generative computational creativity and interaction and highlights potential pitfalls.
Recommended Citation
Spencer, Amy and Spencer, Amy Dr, "AI Wordsworth: Artificial Intelligence and the Literary Encounter" (2024). ELO (un)linked 2024. 11.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/elo2024/algorithmsandimaginaries/schedule/11
AI Wordsworth: Artificial Intelligence and the Literary Encounter
Algorithms & Imaginaries
Visitors to Wordsworth Grasmere, a museum opened in the UK’s lake district in the 1930s to celebrate William Wordsworth, were invited to have a spoken conversation with an AI generated visual and audio version of the poet, based on an 1804 portrait and developed by award-winning software developers Rocketmakers. ‘AI Wordsworth’ uses natural language processing to generate human-like spoken responses to each visitor’s questions, building on several large language models. Each visitor was able to experience a unique conversation with the poet and ask questions about his life and work or anything else they chose.
The aim of project, a collaboration with Bath Spa University, was to help museums and other cultural organisations use AI technologies in a positive and constructive manner for visitor engagement and it offered an opportunity for researchers to explore the potential for the use of AI with museum archives and literary datasets to create a unique co-created literary encounter.
This presentation explores this AI visitor experience and examines its creative potential and the ethical issues it raises for public encounters with creative AI. It celebrates new horizons for generative computational creativity and interaction and highlights potential pitfalls.
Bio
Dr Amy Spencer is a postdoctoral researcher based in the Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries at Bath Spa University where she works on MyWorld, exploring the potential of creative technologies. Previously, she worked at UWE Bristol as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow on the Ambient Literature project, exploring how place-based writing and location responsive technologies produce new kinds of literary experiences. Amy is a writer of both fiction and non-fiction and is the author of DIY: The Rise of Lo-Fi Culture. She has an edited collection of essays on ambient stories forthcoming with Bloomsbury.