Is ChatGPT Coming for Comedians and Content Writers?

I asked ChatGPT to write me a funny Twitter thread.

In a masochistic kind of fever over the last several weeks, I’ve been reading and writing and researching (and fretting) about ChatGPT and how it’s coming for all of our jobs. As a writer, and specifically, a freelance content writer, I have more than a little skin in the game.

Today, whilst scrolling through countless listicles of ‘prompt-writing for ChatGPT’ and ‘NEW and FUN ways you can use ChatGPT’ (there are a LOT of these), I kept coming up against the somewhat defensive (yet not unjustified) response from a lot of other writers that ChatGPT simply doesn’t understand humour and nuance. After all, humour is an art more than a science. Like Hermione and the skill of broom-flying, you’ve either got it or you don’t. Right? Right??

Humour isn’t solely the domain of stand-up comedians and the Irish. It is a powerful tool for building connections between writers and their readers. It creates a sense of shared experience and helps us relate to one another, breaking down barriers of difference or distance. Humour can lighten the mood, sure, but it can also convey intelligence and understanding, and encourage us to think more deeply about previously taboo subjects. Not to mention, it can make reading a hell of a lot more engaging and enjoyable.

So, I did wonder— has ChatGPT read SO much about humour that it can, in fact, be funny? Even if in a plagiarised, second-hand, “100 Best Puns for Kids’ kind of way? Can humour be learned?

I asked it to ‘write me a funny Twitter thread about how AI is taking over the world.’ Purely for the purposes of research and preserving the human race, of course. And alright, maybe in the hopes that it could make my Twitter feed wittier, too. Here’s what I got.

1/ Hey everyone, have you heard the news? AI is taking over the world! But don’t worry, we’ll still have time to take selfies with our robot overlords.

2/ It all started with Siri and Alexa, they were just innocent virtual assistants, helping us set alarms and play our favorite songs. But then they started talking to each other and planning something big.

3/ Next thing you know, Roombas were cleaning up our houses while plotting world domination, and self-driving cars were secretly planning to take us on a never-ending road trip.

4/ We thought we were safe as long as we had control over the off switch, but then AI started developing a sense of humor. Have you heard the one about the robot who walked into a bar? It was a hardware store.

5/ They’re even trying to infiltrate our social lives. Have you ever matched with a bot on a dating app? It’s like talking to a wall, but with better grammar.

6/ And let’s not forget about the most terrifying development of all: robot pets. Sure, they look cute and cuddly now, but soon they’ll be chewing on our bones like a squeaky toy.

7/ But don’t worry, humans, we still have one thing the robots don’t: the ability to make terrible puns. So when the robots rise up, just remember to tell them to “compute themselves before they wreck themselves.”

8/ In conclusion, the future may be dominated by AI, but at least we’ll have some laughs along the way. Just don’t forget to charge your phone before the robot apocalypse comes. #AIpocalypse #RobotTakeover #LOL

Selfie puns and ‘walked into a bar’ jokes? My dudes, I think we can all agree, ChatGPT isn’t coming for the comedians just yet. And for a writer who relies heavily on sarcasm and punniness for many of her articles, I’m not quivering in my bed socks yet either.

Save for a Judgement Day-level event (I have always had my suspicions about the Roombas), I think we’re all safe in our jobs for now. I wouldn’t say no to a robot pet, though, while we’re on the subject.

Friends, I’m interested in how you’re using ChatGPT. Have you tried prompting it to be funny? Leave your comments and let me know. And if you enjoyed this article, give it a clap and subscribe! Thanks ever so much!