A Siri scriptwriter says composing lines for AI is like writing an “absurdist play”
How do AI-powered virtual assistants figure out what to say? Scriptwriters come up with their lines.
A means to an end: Most people use conversations with virtual assistants transactionally. Exchanges consist mostly of “Alexa, order me more paper towels” or “Siri, play ‘Born to Run’ by Bruce Springsteen.” Scriptwriters have to learn the best way to help to users achieve their intended goals, while also planning for twists and turns.
Siri’s improv skills: As Mariana Lin, writer and creative director for Siri, wrote in the Paris Review: “Writing for AI, then, can be a bit like writing an absurdist play. You have a character, you have some goals in mind. But there’s no accounting for what the other characters, the humans, will say or do.”
In-depth conversation: It’s a new avenue of employment for out-of-work Hollywood writers and poets. But for some it’s about more than just making ends meet. Lin says her goal is for AI not to limit the depth and intricacy of human discussion. It can, she believes, create “inspired conversation in our lives.”
Deep Dive
Artificial intelligence
This new data poisoning tool lets artists fight back against generative AI
The tool, called Nightshade, messes up training data in ways that could cause serious damage to image-generating AI models.
Rogue superintelligence and merging with machines: Inside the mind of OpenAI’s chief scientist
An exclusive conversation with Ilya Sutskever on his fears for the future of AI and why they’ve made him change the focus of his life’s work.
Unpacking the hype around OpenAI’s rumored new Q* model
If OpenAI's new model can solve grade-school math, it could pave the way for more powerful systems.
Generative AI deployment: Strategies for smooth scaling
Our global poll examines key decision points for putting AI to use in the enterprise.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.