A dedicated Game of Thrones fan, weary of waiting for George R.R. Martin to complete the remaining installments of his A Song of Ice and Fire series, has turned to ChatGPT, an AI-powered language model, to finish the story. Over a decade, HBO’s Game of Thrones captivated audiences, becoming a cultural phenomenon. However, the TV series surpassed the books it was based on, leaving fans anxiously waiting for the conclusion of the original literary saga.
A fan takes matters into their own hands
As highlighted by IGN, a devoted fan of the series decided to take matters into his own hands by utilizing ChatGPT to create a conclusion. By providing the AI program with a series of prompts, the fan generated 45 lengthy chapters of material. What initially began as simple dot points gradually became comprehensive overviews of each chapter and eventually transformed into fully-fledged computer-generated literature. While the AI-generated conclusion may not perfectly align with the original author’s vision, it certainly doesn’t lack in length, comprising a staggering 1.2 million words across the final two books.
You can read ChatGPT’s version of The Winds of Winter right here, and A Dream of Spring here. Heads up, they are exactly as long as you expect a book in that series to be.
AI’s strengths and weaknesses
One notable strength of ChatGPT is its ability to keep track of a vast web of characters, as independent developer Liam Swayne highlighted. The program effectively incorporated a character named Illyrio, who had sporadic appearances throughout the two books, maintaining narrative continuity despite significant gaps in their appearances.
However, one major shortcoming of the AI-generated conclusion is its reluctance to follow in George R.R. Martin’s footsteps of ruthlessly eliminating beloved characters. Nevertheless, the program did introduce some fresh twists to the story. Diverging from the ending depicted in Season 8 of the TV series, the AI-written conclusion presents intriguing developments. For example, Bran experiences a unique vision of The Wall in A Dream of Spring, discovering that it serves as an icy barrier against the Night King and a mystical shield preventing the reanimated army from advancing into Westeros. This twist adds tension to the narrative and aligns well with the established universe.
An optimistic outlook on AI and creativity
Despite the awe-inspiring capabilities demonstrated by ChatGPT, the developer behind the project emerged with a sense of optimism for the future. While acknowledging the potentially daunting nature of large language models, the creator expressed confidence in human writers’ continued importance and ability to make creative and unexpected decisions. This project reinforced the belief that AI is not on the verge of replacing the unique literary works produced by human authors.
The endeavor of this Game of Thrones fan to conclude the series using AI highlights the ever-expanding possibilities presented by language models like ChatGPT. However, it also reaffirms the irreplaceable role of human creativity in crafting literary narratives. As fans eagerly await George R.R. Martin’s completion of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, the intersection of artificial intelligence and storytelling continues to captivate imaginations while reminding us of the enduring value of human-generated literary works.
