No laughing matter - how AI is helping comedians write jokes

In the world of comedy, a new tool is making waves: artificial intelligence, or AI. Comedian Anesti Danelis has been at the forefront of this trend, using AI to help him create his show for the Edinburgh Festival. He shared a joke generated by AI, asking, 'Why did the politician bring a ladder to the debate? To make sure he could reach new heights with his promises! ' While this joke may not be the best, it illustrates how comedians are beginning to explore the potential of AI in their craft. Anesti, who hails from Canada, turned to the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT earlier this year to assist him in writing an entire show. This summer, he has been performing this show, including at the renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe. After one of his performances, he sat down with the BBC to discuss his creative process behind the show titled 'Artificially Intelligent. ' He explained, 'I was playing around with ChatGPT, and the results it gave me were terribly hilarious, and I thought, maybe there's a show in this? ' Although some of the jokes produced by AI were not up to par, Anesti found the tool to be quite useful for brainstorming ideas. He would prompt the AI with requests like 'write me five songs about bisexual dilemmas' or 'being an immigrant child,' and it provided him with unique ideas that he had never considered before. What surprised him the most was the AI's ability to help structure the show. He instructed it to create a running order, and it explained where each song should be placed and the reasoning behind it, which made perfect sense to him. Despite relying on AI for parts of his script, Anesti emphasized that his performance still heavily depended on his own comedic delivery. Throughout his show, he seamlessly transitioned between playing a keyboard and a guitar, delivering both songs and monologues. He also engaged with the audience, even serenading a member with a song written by ChatGPT. Reflecting on his experience, Anesti remarked, 'I learned through the process that human creativity can't be replicated or replaced, and in the end about 20% of the show was pure AI, and the other 80% was a mix. ' Making an audience laugh is a challenging task, and Anesti has received positive feedback from those who attended his shows, including two Toronto residents, Olivia Smith and Bethany Radford. Olivia expressed her skepticism about AI but appreciated its creative application in comedy. She stated, 'I think I'd feel a little cheated out of an experience if the entire thing was written by technology, but it was funny seeing AI on stage because it was creative. ' Bethany, an actor, echoed this sentiment, saying, 'There is a place for AI in creation and writing so long as it’s transparent that it’s been part of the process. ' A recent study from the University of Southern California revealed that AI-generated jokes can outperform those crafted by humans. However, Bethany remains unconvinced, believing that audiences can often detect when something lacks a human touch. She added, 'I feel like I know when the writing had no human involved. But I'm sure that will change as it gets smarter. ' The comedy industry is thriving, with the stand-up comedy market in the United States experiencing significant growth over the past decade. According to data from Pollstar, a trade publication that tracks live performances, US comedy ticket sales reached an impressive $900 million in 2023, a substantial increase from $371 million in 2012. Additionally, a separate study indicated that live comedy contributes significantly to the UK economy, encompassing not only ticket sales but also the revenues generated by comedy venues and festivals, as well as the positive effects on local economies. Another comedian, Viv Ford, is also performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this month. Her show, titled 'No Kids On The Blockchain,' recounts her experiences living with tech-savvy friends in San Francisco. Although she wrote her show independently, she also sought feedback from ChatGPT on her material. Viv would ask the AI, 'Hey, is this joke funny? ' She discovered that if the AI deemed a joke funny, it often did not resonate with the audience. Conversely, if the AI labeled a joke as offensive, it tended to perform well. Viv acknowledges that many people may not embrace AI in the arts, a perspective she once held until her time in San Francisco, where numerous tech companies are based. She stated, 'I'm so aware that the only reason I think this way is because of my four-year indoctrination in the school of San Francisco. I realized AI can be your weapon, just like Google can be your weapon. If you know how to use AI correctly, you are unstoppable. ' However, not all comedians are eager to incorporate AI into their work. James Roque, a Kiwi-Filipino comedian, believes that the best comedy is deeply human and vulnerable, something he feels AI cannot replicate. He is also performing at the Edinburgh Festival and thinks audiences will be able to tell if other comedians are using AI. He remarked, 'They can sniff out when something isn’t authentic. ' The future of AI in comedy remains uncertain. Despite having written a significant portion of his current show with AI, Anesti Danelis is not convinced he would rely on it again. He expresses concern for the next generation of comedians who might become overly dependent on AI. He explained, 'I think the dangerous thing about AI is that it can be a crutch. If you’re an established comedian who knows your voice, AI gives good advice. But when you're a new comedian and you don't have that voice yet, you need to learn without AI. Otherwise, a generation of comedians will be saying the same repetitive, distilled stuff.