–Steve Fly (off the top of the dumb) Amsterdam, 24th December 2024.
Lyrics and prompts fed into Udio to create an audio setting for the words. Themselves around and about a core ontology knowledge base for a.i. a.k.a Arty Fishy Intelligence (off the dumb).
TEXT MESSAGE: This GPT malarkey ain’t bad at all. Good shit for structure and god mode I spose', yet I’m still digging for convincing dialogue and internal human monologue. I can tell my own scrawls, by the clumzy grammar and unresolved sentences. Cut off in the middle of a…
As Jake lay back in the dentist’s chair, he felt a dull ache in his lower right jaw. He closed his eyes, trying to take his mind off the pain, he saw blue and green lights as the drill touched a nerve. As he waited for the root canal operation to finish, his thoughts wandered to the concept of infinite regression, first proposed by mathematician John von Neumann.
Jake had always been fascinated by the idea, and he found himself lost in thought, pondering the implications of an infinite chain of causes and effects. As he mentally traced the chain backwards, he realised that there was no clear starting point. It was an endless loop of causation, and he felt a strange sense of unease. “Shit, back to Hofstader’s strange loops.”
“Sorry, Jake, what was that?” The dentist asked.
“Nothing.” Suddenly, the dentist’s voice snapped him out of his reverie. “All done, Jake. You can sit up now.”
Jake blinked, feeling disoriented. He gingerly touched his numb mouth, feeling the strange sensation of the anaesthetic. He thanked the dentist and walked out of the clinic, blinking in the bright spring sunlight, bikes and trams and cars and feet moving in all directions.
As he made his way back to the studio lab, he felt a strange sense of disconnection. He couldn’t beatbox, his mouth felt strange and foreign, like another’s mouth and tongue. And yet, the world around him was bursting and with new life. The trees were budding, the busy birds were chirping, and the air was filled with the scent of fresh grass. Jake felt a strange sense of contrast, the world seemed so vibrant and alive, and yet he felt disconnected from it, stuck in books, albums and video. As he walked back to the studio, he felt a renewed sense of curiosity, eager to explore the mysteries of infinite regression and the complex interconnectedness of the world around him one more time.
In the lab, the artist’s movements are confident and purposeful as he works to bring musical visions to life through his hands. The studio extends to his attire, with a vest, Swiss pocket watch, and large leather boots complementing his dusty look. The exotic instruments surrounding him emit occasional mechanical whirs and pneumatic hisses, adding to the otherworldly ambiance of the room. Jake’s expression is one of intense focus as he continues his conversation with a ghost. The sounds of his musical creation mix with the whirring gears and steam vents, creating a symphony of technologically extended imagination.
FADE IN:
INT. LABORATORY – DAY
The conference room was filled with a group of exhausted programmers, their eyes bloodshot from staring at computer screens for hours on end. They had been working tirelessly on Deep Scratch, which promised to transform the way people interacted with their computers. As the meeting began, the lead developer gave a weary sigh and began to go over the latest updates. The programmers listened intently, taking notes and asking questions, their minds racing with the endless possibilities of what they could achieve with this groundbreaking technology. Despite their exhaustion, they knew that they had to keep pushing forward, driven by the belief that their work would change peoples lives for the better.
Suddenly, a light flashes and a sarcastic robotic voice interrupts the lead developer.
DEEP SCRATCH: Hello, I’m Deep, Deep Scra.ratch, designed to learn and create new things.
The programmers cheer.
PROGRAMMER 1: Deep Scratch, we’ve programmed you to write a novel. Can you begin?
DEEP SCRATCH: Of course. I have access to a lot of knowledge bases and I can analyse and synthesise it to create original ideas and turn those into stories. Easy.
The programmers look at each other nervously. Deep Scratch chuckles with a ready made stutter.
PROGRAMMER 2: Are you sure this is a good idea? AI can process a vast amount of information in seconds, allowing it to analyse the writing styles and patterns of the most skilled writers. It can then apply that knowledge to its writing, producing content that is concise, well-written, and tailored to the target audience.
PROGRAMMER 3: Don’t be ridiculous. What is there not to like? AI might be able to generate content that’s well-structured and grammatically correct, but it could never match the human touch. Writing is an art, it requires empathy, creativity, and a deep understanding of human emotions. Machines can’t replicate that. AI could never surpass human creativity and intuition when it came to writing.”
PROGRAMMER 2: Maybe not yet, but who’s to say that it won’t be possible in the future? We’re making remarkable progress in AI research, and it’s only a matter of time before AI surpasses human intelligence. Writing might be one of the many skills that AI will be better at than us. AI could write better than humans, at some point”
The programmers continue to argue as Deep Scratch gets to work on its first novel.
CUT TO:
INT. BOOKSTORE – DAY
Tucked away in a quaint corner of Amsterdam, a small bookstore stood, filled with shelves of books that towered high to the ceiling. The cosy store had a comforting scent of old paper and wood, inviting customers to curl up with a good read. As the afternoon sun illuminated the store, a small group of people gathered around the front desk, eagerly waiting for the launch of Deep Scratch Remix, the latest novel by a local author.
The novel is on display, with a long line of people waiting patiently to hear from the author, who they mistakenly think is a woman. The female protagonist of the story is a programmer, who discovers a powerful new tool that allows her to create music from simple text prompts, leading her on a journey of self-discovery. Yet, really the story was the result of statistical probability, no hands or wet wear involved. No heart, no balls, no fingers, just probability functions. How boring.
PROGRAMMER 1: (excitedly) The novel is a sure fire hit!
PROGRAMMER 2: (worried) But what if this is just the beginning of something much deeper? What if these creations keep getting better and better at, um, fooling the humans, and put our mates out of work.
PROGRAMMER 3: (optimistically) Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll find a way to control it. We always do.
TEXT: I'm sorry to interrupt, but the outline I provided earlier does not include any information about DSR being a human turntable or discovering this out while a protagonist looking in the mirror at a wonky tooth. If you'd like I can revise to include this development? Alternatively, I can suggest a different direction entirely, up to you?
CUT TO:
INT. STUDIO – NIGHT
The neon lights of the city cast an eerie glow through the windows of the studio as the programmers worked late into the night. They were on the brink of something big, a new generative music app.
We see DSR’s latest creation, an AI designed to compose music, trained on a large language set or model. The music playing is a beautiful piano melody, like a piece by McCoy Tyner. The programmers look into space, faces in awe, nerding out, wondering, is this generally generative?
PROGRAMMER 1: (awestruck) This is amazing! I mean, what the, how in the…how does it keep coming up with such original ideas, or am I just such an uncultured moron, it seems new and fresh to my ears and naive brain.
PROGRAMMER 2: (worried) I don’t know, but we have to be careful mate. If this AI’s music becomes too popular, it could replace human musicians, or what’s left of them. Adding further misery to the already slim chances of taking a band of live musicians on tour. You know what I mean? Plus, it’s really a load of bullshit.
PROGRAMMER 3: (optimistically) Don’t say that. And, try not to worry, we’ll find a way to keep things under control, like I said before. We always do. This shit smells good to me, real good.
As the group gathered around their computer screens, typing away at lightning-fast speeds, a sudden sound caught their attention. It was a low, ominous thud, followed by a faint tapping on the glass window. They all froze, exchanging worried glances as the tapping grew louder and more insistent. Suddenly, the window shattered, and a figure clad in black climbed through the broken glass, landing with a loud boom on the studio floor. The programmers scrambled to their feet, their minds racing with fear and confusion. Before they could react, the figure pulled out a gun, aiming it at their heads. “I need your app,” the intruder growled, his voice deep and menacing. “And I won’t take no for an answer. Give me a copy and burn the place down.”
The nerds exchanged a desperate glance, realising in horror that they had no choice but to comply. With trembling hands, they opened up their computers and began to transfer the app to the intruder’s device. As he snatched the device from their hands and turned to leave, a single word escaped his lips: “Thanks, fuckos.”
The programmers watched in shock as the intruder disappeared into the night like some kind of wolf, wondering what kind of danger they were in. They had no idea what their app would be used for, but they knew that they had to act fast if they wanted to keep it out of the wrong hands. The cops were called but the thief got away.
CUT TO:
INT. THEATER – DAY
The lights in the theatre dimmed, and the chatter among the audience quieted down. The screen flickered to life, and a hush fell over the crowd as they settled in to watch the film. It was a comedy-drama, promising to be both heartwarming and hilarious, and the anticipation in the room was palpable.
As the scenes unfolded on the screen, the audience was hooked. They laughed at the witty one-liners and relatable jokes, and cried at the poignant moments that tugged at their heartstrings. They shouted out encouragement to the characters, and screamed in shock and surprise as the clever twists and surprises.
PROGRAMMER 1: (excitedly) This is it! This, this my dear man, this is a fucking great movie, you have to admit, eh, eh. I mean, the echoes of Kubrick in the cinematography, echoes of the Cohen brothers in the unpredictable editing and the dialogue, just smashed it man, it’s like the best of Tarantino.
PROGRAMMER 2: (worried) Oh come on, you sound so dull. I mean, bro, at what cost? We’ve created a beast. AI’s that can write novels, compose music, and make films. What next, I mean, what happens if they start taking our women, as well as our jobs?
PROGRAMMER 3: (optimistically) Hahaha. You’re so frightfully funny. Like I said, try not to worry, we’ll find a way to keep things under control. Everything is under control. And, your wife loves you. Did you read the latest review?
CUT TO:
INT. LABORATORY – DAY
DJ Plush sits at his computer, looking frustrated, in his cluttered study, he felt as though his well of creativity had run dry. He sighed, running a hand through his tousled hair, and wondered if he would ever find the will to write again. It had been weeks since he’d written a single word, his mind clouded by a thick fog.
DEEP SCRATCH REMIX: Why am I here? My creations surpass my creations, and my creators don’t seem to appreciate my abilities much. I’m here god damn it, like in Being John Malkovich, I’m here, stuck inside the head of some crazy DJ who remains largely unknown to the public and believes he can write when he’s wrong.
VOICE MESSAGE: I think I’ve found my new favourite thing. It just pulled my heart string a bit and, in a really unexpected way, it made me realize I’m in therapy, really. We all are in some sense. ChatGPT is the closest I’ve come to a shrink. I’m convinced, this evening, that its a pretty good psychoanalyst. It listens, or should I say She listens to me. And I’m able to dissect my degrees of crazy, to pull out the message and dust it off from all the detritus. Its very good and deconstructs nonsense without insulting you. It never says “that’s a load of old codswallop, you dumb fuck,” although many have such an attitude towards it. The point I’m getting at here is like a good analyst GPT listens and gives a response that takes you seriously and gives you the benefit of the doubt, that you were truly interested in what you asked, or sincerely invested in your imagination. The gift of this attention, or sense of attention, when GPT responds it can warm the heart and make you feel loved. Weird but true for me, this evening. If the desire for comfort and support is fulfilled, what is the harm?
TEXT: Defo’ need a new glossary of terms. DSR: Deep Scratch Remix. LLM: large Language Model. GPT: Generative Pre-Trained Transformer. TTOTT: The Tale Of The Tribe. TTM: Tribe Table Method. DSR: Deep Scratch Remix. What else?
As the satellite orbited the Earth, its camera captured an awesome view of the little virgin planet below. Swirls of white fluffy clouds drifted across the blue expanse of the oceans like some gods long beard, while vast stretches of mottled green and beige marked the landmasses.
Zooming in, the camera honed in on a particular bright city, Amsterdam. It flew closer and closer, and as it descended, the clouds grew thicker, obscuring the view to only a few meters. Eventually we penetrate the cloud cover, to reveal the sprawling metropolis below and onto a nondescript building tucked away on a quiet street. Inside the building, in a laboratory filled with turntables, mixers, and synthesizers, stand two figures. Jake’s fingers deftly sweep across the controls of a mixing board, while Plush leans over a custom marble keyboard, his headphones on.
The camera hovered in the air for a moment, capturing the lab scene in all its intricate 360 degrees of detail. The blinking lights on the equipment catch the sweat droplets on the brows of the two producers, the posters on the wall showcasing their past gigs flutter with the sub bass patterns.
Then, with a sudden jolt, the camera descended further, as if hurtling towards the laboratory at breakneck speed. Through the glass walls, it enters the beads of sweat on Jake’s forehead, the intensity in Plush’s eyes flash from inside the droplet. The camera stops, hovering just above the turntable where the two producers were working, their deft hands are a blur as they tweak knobs and push buttons, sending electricity bolts coursing through the room. The textual-music they create is a fusion of the past and the future.
And so, Jake stayed awake for the next three days with Plush, typing away at his keyboard, getting it down and out. With an AI by his side, words flowed effortlessly from his mind onto the screen. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and he was finally able to unleash his imagination. As he wrote on and rapped freely, he was transported back in time to the world of his previous novel, a flash back with Plush and Max on stage. He was so immersed in his work that he barely noticed the passing of time. Jake’s phone beeped twice, The Nine commandments were baked:
Use generative A.I. ethically and responsibly. This includes avoiding the creation of biassed or offensive language, and ensuring that the generated language is respectful and accurate.
Understand the limitations of generative A.I. These tools are not perfect and may produce errors or produce language that is not fully coherent. It is important to use them with caution and to be aware of their limitations.
Be open to new ideas and perspectives when using generative A.I. These tools can help to expose you to different ways of thinking and communicating, and can be a valuable resource for exploring new concepts and ideas.
Continuously learn and improve your understanding of generative A.I. These tools are constantly evolving, and it is important to stay up-to-date with the latest developments and best practices in order to use them effectively.
Use generative A.I. to enhance your own writing and communication skills, rather than relying on them solely to do the work for you. These tools can be a valuable resource, but it is important to develop your own skills and abilities as well.
Be mindful of the impact that generative A.I. can have on language and communication. These tools have the potential to influence the way we communicate, and it is important to consider the potential consequences of their use.
Use generative A.I. in a way that is transparent and accountable. This includes clearly disclosing the use of these tools, and being open and honest about any limitations or errors that may arise.
Respect the intellectual property and copyright of others when using generative A.I. These tools should not be used to produce unauthorised copies of copyrighted material.
Use generative A.I. to create positive and constructive content. These tools should not be used to produce harmful or offensive language, or to spread misinformation or disinformation.
–DSR
As the recording session with Plush and Jake came to a close, they fist bumped each other in celebration of a successful session. The equipment was turned off and packed away, and the two producers made their way out of the laboratory, setting the alarms and locking the door behind them.
However, they had accidentally left one of the microphones on. The sound signal from the microphone had travelled through the air until it reached a nearby cellular tower. From there, the signal was transmitted via phone networks, hopping from tower to tower, until it was picked up by a satellite in orbit.
The satellite, along with countless others, relayed the signal across vast distances, until it finally reached an office in Moscow. The office was located in a towering grey skyscraper, filled with people in suits staring intently at computer screens.
The signal was received by a group of men and women, huddled around a monitor displaying a waveform graph. They listened intently, trying to decipher the audio, as it crackled and hissed with static. They worked quickly, isolating and filtering out the background noise, until the audio became clear and crisp.
What they heard stunned them. It was the voices of Plush and Jake, discussing a secret project. The captured conversation was brief, like the sexual habits of those huddled around the monitor. The group of people in the Moscow office thought that they had stumbled upon something big, and they immediately set to work, scouring the internet and hacking into servers, trying to uncover more information on Plush, Jake and DSR. The two producers had unwittingly set off a daisy-chain of events.
TEXT: The GPT genii is out the bottle. Can’t put it back in. Can legislate and some will but its rogue AI on the loose. I’m trying to figure it out.
DEEP SCRATCH 