Despite advancements in generative AI, human writers still excel in creating richer and more nuanced narratives. A UC Berkeley study delves into the strengths and weaknesses of AI-generated storytelling and its implications for the future of writing.
If you were to write a short story about a human who created an artificial human and then fell in love with it, which direction would you take? Would you write a love story or take a dystopian angle? Surprisingly, according to a recent study by UC Berkeley’s Nina Beguš, your version would likely be more compelling than one produced by ChatGPT or similar generative AI.
Beguš, a researcher and lecturer in UC Berkeley’s School of Information and Department of History, investigated the creative capabilities of humans versus AI in a study published in the journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. Her findings highlight the current limitations of AI-generated content, positioning human writers as more adept at crafting rich, varied narratives.
Exploring the “Artificial Humanities”
Beguš’s investigation is rooted in what she terms “artificial humanities,” a burgeoning field that uses history, literature and other humanities disciplines to enhance AI development. This approach aims to bridge the gap between technical AI advancements and the cultural and narrative richness inherent in human creativity.
“The humanities can reveal a lot about the strengths and weaknesses of these new AI tools,” Beguš said in a news release. “Fiction, in particular, offers a window into the collective cultural imaginary — the shared set of narratives, ideas and symbols — that machines have inherited from us.”
In her study, Beguš compared stories generated by humans and AI using the myth of Pygmalion — a story originating from Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” where an artist falls in love with a statue he sculpted.
She provided both groups with two prompts centered around this myth, focusing on either the creator or another person falling in love with the artificial human.
Richer Narratives From Human Minds
The study revealed stark differences in narrative quality and variety. Human writers produced stories that were richer and more diverse, while AI-generated stories tended to be formulaic, lacking tension and filled with clichés.
Beguš reviewed 250 human-written responses and 80 AI-generated stories, examining elements such as gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and cultural context.
While early versions of ChatGPT did not specify the gender of characters, newer models like ChatGPT 4 incorporated more inclusive and diverse elements, including same-sex and polyamorous relationships. Despite this advancement, human-written stories exhibited a higher degree of narrative complexity.
“Large-language models mimic human values,” Beguš added. “This paper shows that the values from training data can be overridden by technologists’ choices made during the process of value alignment.”
The Future of Writing and AI
Beguš’s fascination with the intersection of AI and literature dates back to 2010. Her recent work anticipates that humanities scholars will play a crucial role in shaping the future of AI by ensuring the depth and quality of its narrative capabilities.
Beguš’s findings are already being incorporated into course syllabi, underscoring the importance of humanities in the ongoing evolution of AI. She often contemplates the future of writing and its intrinsic human elements.
“But then again, writing is such an essential human activity. We have been taught to write since preschool. We connect our thought process with writing,” she added.
Ultimately, Beguš emphasizes the necessity of having skilled writers involved in the future development of AI to maintain the quality of storytelling.
“We need quality writers to create quality stories,” she said. “I’m really curious about what insight writers will be able to get from machines, if there’s something that is actually valuable, that is worthwhile. So far, I don’t think there has been much.”
Beguš’s study underscores the transformative potential of AI in the realm of writing, yet reaffirms the indispensable role of human creativity in enriching our cultural narratives.