Opportunity: AI Story Lab

From talking to Alexa, to using virtual reality and tech in immersive theatre, to the way we interact with characters in games, to innovations in TV narrative such as Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch, a revolution in creating stories and characters is underway. This revolution is driven by AI (Artificial Intelligence). Innovation in machine learning will see stories emerge where the audience becomes part of the story and can interact with characters who have their own voices, emotions and memories, and who make their own decisions.

That’s why four innovative organisations in the UK are joining together on a new and exciting opportunity to offer writers in the region a chance to work in the cutting-edge, rapidly evolving world of digital writing driven by AI. The Centre for Creative and Cultural Industries, Bristol+Bath Creative R+D, creative writing incubator Paper Nations, and Oxford-based cutting-edge AI company To Play For, are offering up to ten fully-funded places to writers under-represented in the publishing and gaming industries in the South West of the UK on a two-day workshop in Bath in May. 

The workshop focuses on using AI to create characters and develop stories. Participants will look at how to use AI to revolutionise the way we interact with characters in forms, such as games, movies, apps, in mobile, VR online and more. The workshop will provide a masterclass on To Play For’s Charisma.ai platform, giving hands-on experience to the writers of how to adapt existing stories as well as create new ones. Up to three of the writers may go on to paid, five-week placements with To Play For.

Bambo Soyinka, Paper Nations’ Executive Development Producer, has said: 

“We are collaborating on these workshops to bring interactive writers and the AI storytelling experts together. Like particles colliding, we believe new and amazing things will happen. We want people with experience in theatre, comics or gaming; writers who work in performing and telling stories in a range of ways, who can breathe new life into their characters and stories with AI.”

The application process is open now.

Applications close at midday on Thursday 12th March.