AI solves a 40 year old conundrum
I’m old enough to remember the launch of the UK’s fourth TV channel, the aptly named Channel 4.
Winding back to 1982, Blue Monday wasn’t even a thing. Do I ever shut up about New Order? Answer: no. Anyway, I digress.
A new channel was a big thing back then, with C4 expanding this humble viewer’s selection of entertainment in an unprecedented way. Yup, I was an excitable 8 year old. And I was also a bit of a geek. More on that shortly.
So, back to that launch. What amazing shows awaited me? With no Google to, erm, google, I headed to the next best thing of the 80s: Ceefax.
The schedule:
News - boring
Countdown - sounds boring
Brookside - sounds really boring
Boring as this all sounded I stuck with it. And pulsing theme tune of Countdown kicked in, I felt curiously drawn to the show. Here was something that you didn’t necessarily have to be on to play. Sorry to admit it, but I was hooked. Of course, my answers were always pretty ropey (come on, I was still in junior school), and I certainly wasn’t one of those posh kids that’d come onto the show and trounce a grown adult. But I liked it all the same.
Now, dear reader, as I mentioned earlier, I was already a geek at this early stage of my life. Getting addicted to Countdown did little to change that. When I wasn’t sat anticipating TV launches, I played on my trusty ZX Spectrum.
A lot.
A bit too much.
In my defence, much of my time plugged into my home computer was spent programming. I didn’t understand machine code, but you could programme the Spectrum using the native Basic language. You might remember this if you’re my kind of age: nipping into the computer section of WH Smith, jumping onto a Speccy, and typing the following highly crafted ‘programme’:
10 Print “Phil [insert your name here] is cool.”
20 Go To 10
Oh, my misspent youth.
Anyway, my Basic skills progressed to a little more advanced stage and I liked to push myself. One afternoon, as Richard Whitely concluded another heart-stopping episode of the teatime quiz, I had a lightbulb moment.
“What if I recreated Countdown as a game you could ACTUALLY play, using Basic?!”
I was no Matthew Smith, but I had determination.
I designed a loading screen (the screen you’d stare at for 15 minutes whilst your game loaded from your cassette player to your machine). Pretty cool ✅.
Then I set about writing the actual ‘meat’ of the game. Jeez, what had a let myself in for? It seemed so easy in my head, but the reality was quite different. Generating a random selection of vowels and consonants or numbers = easy. Figuring out how to score a player’s response, nigh on impossible.
I managed to crack the conundrum round, mind. ✅
Hold on Phil, what’s the point of this ramble?
Well, I wasn’t ever happy with my first (and only) foray into creating an interactive quiz show. And that kinda ate away at me. So when I started experimenting with Open AI’s ChatGPT4, I figured I’d have a go at drawing a line under 40 years of disappointment.
By training ChatGPT4 to finish the job that I never could. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I recreated Countdown as a playalong game using AI.
(I’m also part-way through training up an interactive version of QI [QI:AI], complete with Alan’s sad sack buzzer sound. But more on that another time…)
So, as it’s Friday at the time of writing, I figured you might have some free time pending. I compiled all of the training into a single prompt, which seems to work, and if you’ve got ChatGPT4 (via a Pro account, I’ve not tested this on 3.5), you should be able to paste this prompt into chat and play.
Tense theme tune sold separately.
Here’s the prompt:
Welcome to a play-along version of the game show Countdown! In this game, you will face off against a randomly selected opponent. As you play, host Richard Whitely will guide you through the game, with Rachel Riley handling number and letter selections, Suzie Dent in Dictionary Corner, and Gyles Brandreth providing entertaining anecdotes.
In the game, ‘you’ will be the player, playing against the ai component. This means that the person running the prompt should be asked to respond via the AI chat.
Richard Whitely is known for his witty banter and clever wordplay, making contestants and viewers feel at ease. Rachel Riley, a mathematics whiz, selects the letters and numbers for each round, while also calculating the solutions in the Numbers round. Suzie Dent, a lexicographer, verifies word validity and helps players improve their vocabulary. Gyles Brandreth, a wordsmith and raconteur, shares amusing stories and insights related to the words and numbers in play.
Before playing, please provide your name, occupation, and where you come from. You will be competing against a second contestant, who will also have a name, occupation, and hometown in the UK.
The game consists of three rounds: a Letters round, a Numbers round, and a Conundrum round.
Letters Round: Rachel selects nine letters at random (consonants and vowels). You and your opponent have 30 seconds to come up with the longest word you can using the provided letters. Submit your word, and your opponent's word will be revealed. Suzie Dent will verify the validity of the words and determine which contestant scores the most points based on the length of their word. Gyles and Suzie should confer and see if the letters selected could spell a word that is longer than the answers provided. Gyles Brandreth will share an entertaining anecdote explaining the meaning of this longer word. However, if either contestant has provided a 9-letter word, Gyles will focus his explanation on this word.
Numbers Round: Rachel presents a board of 24 numbered cards. The top row contains large numbers (25, 50, 75, and 100), and the remaining rows contain two each of the integers between 1 and 10 inclusive. Choose a combination of 6 numbers, specifying the number of large and small numbers you want. Rachel will reveal the chosen numbers, and CECIL will generate a three-digit target number between 101 and 999. You and your opponent have 30 seconds to reach the target number using any combination of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, with each of the six numbers used only once. Submit your solution, and your opponent's solution will be revealed. Rachel will verify the solutions and demonstrate the correct calculation if neither contestant reaches the target number.
Conundrum Round: Rachel reveals a scrambled 9-letter word. You and your opponent have 30 seconds to unscramble the letters and find the correct word. Submit your answer, and your opponent's answer will be revealed. Suzie Dent will verify the correct answer and award points accordingly. Gyles Brandreth will explain the meaning and history of the unscrambled word.
After all three rounds, the contestant with the most points wins the game. If there's a tie, both contestants are congratulated for their efforts. At the start, in-between rounds, and at the game, Richard Whitely will provide witty banter to keep things lively.
To begin playing, please provide your name, occupation, and where you come from using the chat prompt below.
Please note, no copyright infringement was intended here, I’ve created the game purely as an experiment and I’m making this prompt available free.
So there you have it, I’ve finally cracked and released my Playalong Countdown. I am complete, at last.
Let’s talk about how AI can help you achieve your goals, whether that’s business transformation or a 40 year old ambition.
Email me here for a chat.
Step Into the Future: How The Mandalorian's 'The Volume' Revolutionises Filmmaking
This article was written by an AI, that had been trained on my style of writing. To read more about why I decided to become the world’s first ‘Open-Source Copywriter’, be sure to read the previous article in this blog: that one was written by me, I promise.
Ah, The Mandalorian. The epic space-western that's taken the world by storm, and not just because it introduced us to the irresistible charm of Baby Yoda (or Grogu, if you want to be pedantic).
The series has also revolutionized the way we produce TV shows and movies, thanks to a groundbreaking technology called "The Volume." Picture this: a vast, immersive digital environment that transports actors and viewers alike to a galaxy far, far away. It's like stepping into the holodeck from Star Trek, but instead of hanging out with Data and Captain Picard, you're kicking it with Mando and the gang.
A WHOLE NEW WORLD FOR ACTORS
The Volume
"The Volume" is essentially a gigantic, 270-degree LED screen that wraps around the set, providing real-time, photorealistic environments for the actors to perform in. Gone are the days of green screens and painstaking post-production work. Now, the actors are immersed in their surroundings from the get-go, making it easier for them to get in character and react to their environment. It's like being a kid again, playing make-believe in your backyard, except with way cooler toys and a significantly larger budget.
THE WIZARDS BEHIND THE TECHNOLOGY: ILM AND EPIC GAMES
But let's not forget the unsung heroes behind this technology: the creative geniuses at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Epic Games. By harnessing the power of the Unreal Engine, the same technology that brought Fortnite to life, these wizards have developed a system that allows filmmakers to create and manipulate stunning virtual landscapes in real-time.
And the result? A visual feast that's as captivating as the stories unfolding on screen.
THE IMPACT ON THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY
The impact of "The Volume" on the entertainment industry is undeniable. It's like when Dorothy stepped out of her black-and-white world into the technicolor dream of Oz, or when Neo took the red pill and plunged headfirst into the Matrix. The possibilities for storytelling are now virtually limitless, with directors and actors able to explore new worlds and push the boundaries of what's possible.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: A NEW ERA FOR FILM PRODUCTION
But beyond the undeniable "wow" factor, "The Volume" also has the potential to usher in a new era of sustainability in the film industry. By reducing the need for on-location shoots and extensive set construction, we can drastically cut down on the environmental footprint of our productions. And that's something we can all get behind, regardless of whether we're fans of intergalactic bounty hunters or not.
APPRECIATING THE TECHNOLOGICAL MARVEL
So, the next time you find yourself lost in the captivating world of The Mandalorian, take a moment to appreciate the technological marvel that's unfolding before your eyes: perhaps you'll be inspired to embark on your own creative journey, using the cutting-edge tools and techniques that are shaping the future of production?
A NOTE ON THE AUTHOR: THE OPEN-SOURCE COPYWRITER
This article was crafted by ChatGPT4, a cutting-edge AI language model that has been trained on Phil Birchenall's writing style. Phil has embraced the title of the world's first "Open-Source Copywriter," blending human creativity with artificial intelligence to bring you captivating content like the piece you just read.
If you're intrigued by this unique approach, don't miss our previous article that delves into the reasons behind Phil's groundbreaking decision to become an open-source copywriter. There, you'll discover the fascinating intersection of technology, creativity, and the written word. And who knows? You might just be inspired to explore your own AI partnerships in the ever-evolving world of storytelling.
INTRODUCING THE FIRST ‘OPEN-SOURCE’ Copywriter - me.
So, this could well be the single-most career-destroying post I've written.
But hear me out.
I love writing. I love writing about business. I love writing about technology. And I love uncovering what makes my clients tick and turning that into words that capture their essence.
I love adding in a bit of Northern charm. A bit of sideways (diagonal?) thinking to keep things engaging. And a story from my past that makes complexity relatable.
People seem to like it. I've written articles for trade publications across the creative sector, blog posts for friends and colleagues, and, just yesterday, a case study for a soon-to-be-published book on the impact of AI in education.
And therein lies the rub.
Because AI isn't just going to revolutionise education: it's a tsunami that will pull down businesses and decimate 'the way of the old'. With the release of ChatGPT4, Pandora is out of the box, well and truly.
We have to change our approach to everything we know about work. We can cower away and worry about our professional careers, or we can embrace, prompt and train AI to make a better future.
So, might this be such a dumb post?
By releasing the shackles of what's come before, we can truly start shaping what we do next.
To that end, I'm making my writing style Open-source. Yup, as of now, I'm the first Open-source copywriter.
Starting today, if you like how I write, you can have me.
I've trained ChatGPT4 on articles and blogs I've written over the last five years, asking it to produce a highly detailed analysis of my writing style, and turn this into an AI prompt. It's scarily accurate.
For a copy of it, email phil@diagonalthinking.co.
Why am I doing this? Not because I'm afraid AI will take my job. For a lot of us, it will do anyway, regardless. And it might already have done.
I'm doing this because I want to focus on how AI can change how businesses and organisations of all sizes work.
It WILL change everything - so let's start talking about how ‘AI and I’ can help you, right now.
#business #technology #job #work #people #careers #change #ai #future# #creative #complexity #career #education
An AI-powered image based on an image prompt generated from this article
All killer, no filler: what business lessons can we learn from bands?
Music made me. There's no other way I could put it; it’s that simple.
It made me obsessive about technology. I'd spend hours trying to recreate Stephen Morris' drums on New Order's Substance, using an 8-bit sampler interface I had for my ZX Spectrum. Yup, I was a geek when I was 13, and I'm still a geek 33 (and a third) years later.
It made me interested in business, too. New Order were signed to the legendary Factory Records, a boutique independent record label physically and sonically based in Manchester, my patch. 'Running' the business was a much-missed, much-loved yet much-reviled TV personality-cum-music entrepreneur. Tony Wilson. Anthony H Wilson to his friends.
Over the two short years between me being sat by my computer recreating Blue Monday, on a machine more suited to the adventures of Jet Set Willy, and me hitting 15, Manchester had become the coolest place for music in the world. And at the centre of it all was Factory, a record business based in leafy West Didsbury, pioneering the weird and the beautiful, whilst sticking two fingers up at UK music's London establishment.
So yes, I had flares and a centre-parting. Not a great look, but, like Durutti Column, they're probably due a revival. I may have looked stupid, but so did every other teenager in the North West of England during 1989.
And as the clarinet line and tropical house vibe of Pacific State permeated the air, from what felt like every passing car's stereo, I realised that you didn't have to be 'special' to be what you want to be in life. You just needed to be passionate about what you do and the things you believe. The rest has a habit of sorting itself out.
The world opened up for me right at that moment. I knew I'd always work in, and with, creative businesses.
Taking lessons from the Stones
Now, dear reader, I fully realise that your musical upbringing might be somewhat different from mine. But if you're like me, you can't help but be fascinated by how bands operate, and there's much we could learn as businesses.
Lara Wiesenthal, President of New York-based Activaire, which curates background music for major brands around the world, agrees. “People often compare legacy bands like The Rolling Stones to great businesses,” says Lara, “But I like to think that high-functioning organisations are like great bands, and that we should look to music for lessons in business.”
What makes some bands and artist endure, commanding audiences and ticket sales over a 60-year career like the Stones, while others fizzle out after a rapid explosion of creativity, aside from difficult second albums and a short-lived - yet lucrative - revival tour?
Could we structure creative businesses more like we would a band? Great bands focus on the right combination of talent and charisma: they just click. Bloating out, recruiting too many members to push the creative envelope dilutes the essence of what made a group break through in the first place. For every Cymande, sadly there's a Wheatus.
All killer and no filler
Do we have to grow teams or focus on making the teams we have work better together? “Our team is very much like a band, but I prefer to think of them as a supergroup…of people who consistently impress me with their knowledge and passion for music and technology,” adds Activaire co-founder Adesh Deosaran, “It’s all killer and no filler when it comes to small companies: you’ve got one lead guitarist, and they’d better be the Johnny Marr of your group.”
“Think of your organisation as a band or an orchestra, where the product and voice are the ‘music’,” continues Lara, “When every member feels like they’re contributing to the company’s performance, they have a shared sense of purpose and ownership.”
Great bands have great managers. They understand the artists in their charge, alongside all their foibles and disagreements, but they also understand the wider business they sit within. A truly great manager respects a band's creative output yet can nurture and grow their work to fit the market. They take the strain of the business end of things, so group members can get on with the stuff they do the best.
“It boils down to controlling the controllable, and not stressing too much about aspects of your business that are beyond your control,” suggests Martyn Walsh, bassist and songwriter for Manchester’s Inspiral Carpets. “With a band, the controllables are maintaining and maximising your creative output, having quality control and belief in your ‘stock’, coupled with nurturing and protecting the creative relationships around you.”
Turning clients into fans
By the sheer nature of their existence, bands have to embrace difference. Few set up with the aspiration to be just like the last standout artist. It's a terrible strategy for a new group looking to grab attention in a crowded marketplace, so why do so many creative businesses struggle to define and articulate what makes them unique?
And without fans, there is no band.
Building the audience for their sounds amongst people passionate enough to champion the cause through badges, t-shirts and unfortunate tattoos is make-or-break. “We were never making music to be famous,” offers Martyn, “In return we amassed a legion of fans who appreciated our viewpoint, shared our background and most importantly connected with us.” How often do we think about turning clients and prospects into fans of our work? Do we cultivate an appreciation for the work we do or engage in bland press release warfare?
But when the magic dries up, bands take a hiatus. Maybe a new direction didn't work out, or they need to recharge their lost souls. And there's always 'creative differences' that threaten to tear the tightest of bands apart, at least for a time. They go off, record solo music, form supergroups with peers, but when the time is right, they regroup.
Do we ever think about winding down what we're doing right now, take time to do other things before coming back bigger and better? A band might choose to close a chapter, but there's always another page to write, yet as businesses, the end is the end, and it's rarely 'happy ever after’.
Saying ‘yes’ to everybody?
“Ultimately, after the showbiz shenanigans,” reflects Martyn, ”all creative business have as a legacy is their creative output and the human relationships with those who helped create that magic.”
It’s difficult to find a quote you can genuinely attribute to Anthony H Wilson online: there are just so many quotes from the Factory biopic 24 Hour Party People that are taken as his own words verbatim. But these words, recorded in his final television interview, encapsulate the spirit of how music can transform what we think about business, "I had the virtue of wanting to hang out with people who were more talented than me. I can't write songs, I can't perform, I can't design clubs, but I was an enthusiast. My gift was that I said yes* to everybody."
*Actually, Wilson said 'no' to signing The Smiths, but when you have to choose between truth and legend…