Charlie Brooker, the creator of the acclaimed anthology series “Black Mirror,” recently shed light on his fascinating experiment with artificial intelligence and offered insights into the show’s evolving tone. During a panel discussion at Sydney’s International Convention Centre SXSW event, Brooker discussed his experiment with the AI chatbot known as ChatGPT.
AI’s Attempt at Writing “Black Mirror”
In June, Brooker revealed that he had tasked ChatGPT with writing an episode for “Black Mirror.” Initially, he experienced a surge of fear, almost akin to the fear of being replaced. He humorously confessed that he considered jumping out of the window. However, as ChatGPT continued to craft the episode, Brooker’s fear waned.
AI’s Shortcomings and Derivative Nature
Brooker noted that ChatGPT could never fully replace human screenwriters because it lacked the depth and creativity that human writers bring to their craft. As the AI-generated episode took shape, Brooker grew increasingly bored, as he found it to be derivative and unoriginal. ChatGPT essentially regurgitated descriptions of past “Black Mirror” episodes, making it a poor substitute for genuine storytelling.
Fan Feedback and the Evolution of “Black Mirror”
Brooker also addressed the feedback he received from “Black Mirror” fans. Some viewers expressed a preference for the show’s earlier, grittier British seasons, which had a darker and more dismal tone. In contrast, they found that the series had become brighter and more star-studded after transitioning to Netflix. Brooker acknowledged these critiques but emphasized that the shift in the show’s tone was not a mandate from Netflix.
He clarified that the change in tone was driven by his own creative interests. Brooker recognized the need to make the stories more accessible to a global audience when “Black Mirror” joined Netflix. As a result, he diversified the show’s themes, exploring more positive and uplifting narratives in addition to its signature bleak and dystopian episodes.
Despite the evolution, Brooker’s unique storytelling has continued to captivate viewers, making “Black Mirror” a beloved and thought-provoking series. It remains available for streaming on Netflix.