from Hacker News

Show HN: I co-wrote a novel with GPT-3 in 118 hours

by ggillas on 10/17/20, 9:42 PM with 38 comments

  • by natch on 10/18/20, 4:30 AM

    Have asked this before, but GPT-3 users seem tight lipped about it. Let’s try you:

    How did you get accesss to GPT-3?

    I’m afraid that the way OpenAI is flicking aside applications for access from mere humans, and instead granting access to large corporate entities, tells us something about how AIs will deal with humans in the future.

  • by rolae on 10/18/20, 1:20 PM

    Reminds of an episode of the programm (audio series). [1] They used GTP-3 to generate most of the answers the AI gives in that episode.

    It is generally a fascinating series, set in a fictional future, where the program took control of the world. But it is less about that future, but more of a look back on today's world from fictional future.

    [1] https://programaudioseries.com/14-more-parrot-than-predator/

  • by rizpanjwani on 10/18/20, 9:29 PM

    When reading novels, I usually find myself skipping the portions that setup the atmosphere or looks of characters. I feel like a lot of it is forced. The latest book I read was Gideon the Ninth, and I found myself doing that quite a bit. I am more interested in the story and interaction between characters. Of course a bit of setting is indisposible such as where, when, rules of the universe, tech, etc. but a lot of the minute details I find don't matter.

    If I were to write a novel, I would probably find it really mundane to flesh things out this way and perhaps GPT would be an ideal companion to fill in the details of the sketch while I focused on the main plot and interactions. Or maybe I would aim for readers who wouldn't mind reading a novel without all the fluff.

  • by josephhainline on 10/18/20, 2:25 PM

    You can feel the gpt fluff in between the plot. It’s unbearable. Beginnings of good prose that ramble off into word associations and nonsense content that reads like real sentenses. The computer clearly has no idea of the plot.

  • by michelb on 10/18/20, 10:54 AM

    Superfun. Two Dutch podcasters had an episode[1] made using GPT-3, based on previous episodes, as an experiment. After the usual introduction they read up the generated text. It soon becomes illogical and incoherent but it took me 10 mins to figure out something was wrong. In the final few minutes there's some outtakes of them cracking up as they have to read the nonsense. Dutch only.

    [1] https://art19.com/shows/een-podcast-over-media/episodes/fe6d...

  • by bbayer on 10/18/20, 5:00 PM

    > Peter has adopted the code and molded it for years, Anakin to a digital C3PO. He'd grown attached to his creation. He loved Art more than anyone else alive.

    True gold.

  • by ggillas on 10/17/20, 9:53 PM

    Thanks for reading! Edits, updates, and full length version will be posted soon. Email ggillas@protonmail.com to subscribe.

    Artwork generated from Artbreeder.com GPT-3 through Shortlyread.com

  • by clmk100 on 10/18/20, 10:42 AM

    I still think the output is inferior to automatic paper generators from 2005.

    This is literally just stringing words and putting random events together.

  • by runawaybottle on 10/18/20, 3:19 AM

    Can you please try to sell it on Amazon and tell us how that goes?

    I wonder if you wrote a few seed pages per chapter on a contentious topic like ‘Why Bill Gates is funding the Coronavirus vaccine - and the answer is not good’ and released that book to a certain demo what your sales would be.

  • by debbiedowner on 10/18/20, 3:50 AM

    Do you think if you wrote it slower it would be a little less weird?

    Eel is the weirdest thing to eat with strangers. Her biology was like a movie. These things are brilliant in a Delillo like way but the flow is too fast. Also making a butterfly thing?

  • by viraptor on 10/18/20, 8:19 AM

    https://gimmeserendipity.com/mbtimodel/text/

    Personality Probability

    INTJ 0.239249

    INFP 0.237849

  • by tejas3732 on 10/20/20, 5:27 AM

    Sorry for the lame question. But as a Marketer, how can I learn to build such products using GPT-3. Is there any way how to make it?

  • by herve76 on 10/19/20, 4:58 PM

    How many words did you have to input to obtain this novel?