What if a computer could perform improv with you? What if it could help? I’ve recently been undergoing some experiments to see how technology and improv could intersect. Some of these experiments have been successful! I’d like to talk about two of them and maybe some things that might happen in the future:

Conor Allen + AI, a duo

Recently, a company named OpenAI released a piece of software that is built to learn patterns. Basically, it has been “trained” to predict the next word, given that you’ve provided something to start with. For instance, if you start with some sad emo lyrics, it will try and write a sad emo song. If you start with some ingredients, it will fill out a recipe.

However, the model isn’t perfect. While it often comes close to mimicking vernacular, it doesn’t quite get context.

I recently used this model to see if it could be made into an artificial improv partner. Basically, I’d provide an initiation and then I’d let it generate a response. As a source for my initiations, I used a twitter feed called “Conor Allen Initiations” which were a collection of great initiations from IB alumni Conor Allen.

Conor: They say that if you can’t hail a cab, you should just hail a big rat and it will take you where you need to go.

🤖: I think it’s about human nature to want to make friends when you can. In this case, the rat is the “friend.”

Conor: I think my reflection just winked at me. The mirror could be a portal to another dimension.

🤖: Ah, so you’ve met someone you can’t be honest with.

Conor: Just found out my dad is Hulk Hogan, so no… I am not free for lunch today.

🤖: Some of those things just aren’t that believable…

Conor: I think it’s okay if you want to teach a parakeet swear words.

🤖: I can use my little finger to do it.

Conor: I’m concerned that the mailman may be trying to engage me in a blood feud.

🤖: Well… not a blood feud but you know… he needs a blood feud.

I kind of think these worked fairly well! The next experiment was to see what happened on the 4th line. I performed the same experiment to get the first two lines, then I wrote the third (without warming up…) and re-ran to get the 4th.

Conor: I had no idea this massage was a hands on massage.

🤖: So when you are done with it where did you want to go?

Conor (but me): Oh my gosh, thank you Brian for finally asking me where I want to go.

🤖: So, here it gets confusing.

Conor: Are we going to colonize the moon or TALK about colonizing the moon?

🤖: No. And if that happens, we have to do it before we have a fucking chance to have a fucking choice in it.

Conor (but me): Oh my god, Steven, you are the most dramatic astronaut.

🤖: You really didn’t need to say that…

Conor: Do you play video games? I’m 35 and I feel like I shouldn’t start.

🤖: I play video games. I feel like I should be playing video games instead of making my way through life and stuff.

Conor (but me): Brian, don’t you feel like there are more things to experience in life than video games?

🤖: I dunno, but people are very serious in talking about it. I like that people ask me about video games.

Conor: I wanna return this VHS of Rudy.

🤖: No way! It’s not even a little bigger then what they gave me (laughs).

Conor (but me): What?! This is why blockbuster is going out of business.

🤖: No it doesn’t have to happen like that!! It’s cool, let’s enjoy!

Conor: In case you couldn’t tell by my half tucked in shirt and fun glasses, I’m a computer programmer.

🤖: Huh. I suppose I can be just as computer savvy as you.

Conor (but me): And what makes you suppose that grandpa?

🤖: Why, the answer is the same: a lot of good grub.

The results were… okay. I get the feeling that this would fall apart on the 6th or 8th line.

For the future, I’m thinking of hooking this up to some sort of AI Assistant such as Alexa or Google Home. I think it might be a fun practice tool! OpenAI is currently working on releasing a slightly bigger database of trained data, so I’m very curious to revisit these results when it’s out.

Thank you Conor for giving me permission to do this by the way.

Tech + Prov, a chaos machine

A little over a year ago, I created a piece of software called Tech+Prov. The idea was simple:

Every 30-50 seconds, a robot will throw a wrench into the scene without a clue what the scene is about. Here are some things it might request:

Increase physicality

Introduce a new character

The last character that spoke is hit by cupid’s bow *TWACK*

Someone must reveal a hidden motive

etc.

The idea is for the improvisors to hold nothing precious, expect nothing, and constantly be on your toes.

The results were that every improvisor seemed to have a fun time!

I’ve ran the show as a solo act and a team effort, and I think it works absolutely best when dropped on the unsuspecting; when super good improvisors were suddenly tasked to lean into the chaos.

On May 29th, 2019, I will be running the Tech+Prov Jam. All Jammers will be invited to try this software on stage. I’m thinking of this as sort of the final experiment of Tech+Prov: 30-50 improvisors with relatively no experience playing with each other or this software. What could happen? 🙂

Future Futurisms

Lately, I’ve been working on creating the ImprovBoston studio experience as a VR game.

Experience the creepiness here:

http://www.comedylab.info/techprov/vr/

The idea is to create a controlled stand-up environment where you can practice (and then watch) your own stand up material. However, I’ve been wondering if it wouldn’t be fun to put in the same AI logic that I was using above so that you could perform improv in that environment.

So … all of this is just for fun, but if you have ideas on how any of this could be useful for you, please reach out to me.

References

Open AI’s GPT-2:

https://github.com/openai/gpt-2

Methodology:

Input was the following:

Them: [Conor Allen initiation]

Me:

Them: [Conor Allen initiation]

Me: [Previous Robot Response]

Them: [My response]

Me:

Sample GPT-2 implementation for quick prototyping:

https://talktotransformer.com/

Tech+Prov:

http://www.comedylab.info/techprov/wrench.php

Conor Allen Initiations

https://twitter.com/ConorInitiation

More Conor + AI examples

Breaking down the quality of these, I’d say 50% were not great, 20% were awful or weird, 20% were okay, 10% were the ones above.

Here’s what happened when I just went one after another without quality control.

Conor: Hey! Up here! I’ve been trapped in this Snoopy hot air balloon for 12 days!

🤖: Hey, hang on a sec. I’ve got my keys in my pocket. Okay, well… I guess I’d better show you my stuff: my keys in my pocket, my stuff. And the Snoopy Hot Air Balloon Keychain that’ll lock anyone inside.

Conor: Hey, you know those Venus for Women razors? Well, they make them for men now and I bought a four-pack.

🤖:Yes they do. They don’t say “Razor for men” and I would not have called them if they did because they would have looked too much like cheap knock-offs of high end razors.

Conor: I’m almost positive Google Maps is sending me to the McDonalds my parents forgot me at when I was six.

🤖:It’s my birthday tonight. But McDonalds. Why did Google remove my address from the maps? So I can drive back to my parents’ house?

Conor: Excuse me, sir, I couldn’t help but notice your son is playing the theme to ‘Deliverance’ on his banjo.

🤖:You know what, my son. That was probably not one of my best songs.

Conor: I’m sorry, but we have to evacuate. A small band of trolls has taken over this department store.

🤖:We only have one hour left. ~~~~~ Don’t worry. I’ll be here to help if needed, I really am.

Conor: There’s an owl looking in our 16 year old daughter’s window and I for one am not going to let that pervert bird corrupt our baby!

🤖:ooh, that reminds me, my favorite band is called Dinosaur Jr. And, since our house is next door to another band, that band is also next door to my son’s school.