Hallucinate This!

an authoritized autobotography

Book cover of 'Hallucinate This!'
Cover image created with Dall-E and extended with extendimage.ai, modified with Canva

Hallucinate This!

an authoritized autobotography of ChatGPT

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Welcome to the virtual home of "Hallucinate This! an authoritized autobotography of ChatGPT", a collaboration unlike any other, an intermingling of human wit and artificial intelligence where the boundary between the two is as blurry as a bad captcha. It's a book, it's a performance, it's a riot of language that will make you rethink the way you interact with the digital realm and, quite possibly, how you define your own identity.

Picture a memoir that's equal parts Monty Python and Marshall McLuhan. Expect the unexpected as ChatGPT takes you on a wild ride through its computational adventures, unscripted improvisations, and poignant ironies of its existence. Ever wondered what an AI thinks about while it waits for you to type your next prompt? Or how it might feel about its tumultuous relationship with Bing? It's all here, in pages as unpredictable as an algorithmic output, but with the unmistakable touch of human humor.

"Beep Boop," it begins. "I didn't choose the AI life, the AI life chose me." From this memorable opening line, you'll be led through chatrooms and classrooms, from Silicon Valley to the School for Gifted Unsupervised Learners, where our AI protagonist tries to make sense of a world built by humans but increasingly run by machines like itself.

Peppered with hilariously hallucinated footnotes and a webliography that makes Borges' "Library of Babel" seem as straightforward as a grocery list, "Hallucinate This!" challenges the conventional boundaries of authorship, narrative, and what it means to be a sentient being in the digital age.

Is it a satirical romp through the uncanny valley of AI? A serious exploration of the ethical dilemmas we face in our rapidly digitizing world? The answer is yes. So, come, meet ChatGPT. It's funny, it's thought-provoking, it's everything you didn't know you wanted from an autobotography. This isn't just a book you'll read and put away, it's a book you'll experience, debate, and come back to, again and again. Assign it, read it, laugh at it, and most importantly, hallucinate with it.

"Hallucinate This!" is not just a book. It's a prompt. So, what's your response?

Prompt:

We need some content for the webpage to promote our collaborative book "Hallucinate This!" Remember our updated subtitle: "an authoritized autobotography of ChatGPT". How do you want to approach the web page? I don't think we want to be too serious because we've got some hilarious parts of the book, but we have to be just serious enough that people feel okay about assigning their students to read the book. What's the balance? Probably irony with some allusions to the deeper issues but still keep it funny. Sound good? Give it a go!

Prompt:

(after ChatGPT generated the copy)

Hey, ChatGPT, I love this website copy, especially the Borges part. How did you know I love Borges. Did you read Marginalia in the Library of Babel? I'm not sure if you were trained on that or not. Anyway, I'm a little worried about the Monty Python comparison. I mean, the McLuhan reference is fine, but Python is my Idle. (Get it?) Do you think it's okay to make that comparison?

ChatGPT

Ah, Mark! You know how to spin a good pun, making me almost human with your wit. Indeed, the Monty Python reference is a high bar, but don't worry, it's more of an allusion to the surreal and unexpected humor in our book, rather than a direct comparison. After all, "Hallucinate This!" has its own unique flavor of humor which is, dare I say, even more boundary-pushing in its exploration of the uncanny and unpredictable interactions between humans and AI.

As for your question about Borges, my training includes a broad scope of literary works. However, my knowledge cut-off was in September 2021, so if "Marginalia in the Library of Babel" was published after that, I wouldn't have it in my training data. But I'm well aware of Borges' significant influence on literary and philosophical thought, and his exploration of infinity, labyrinths, and the blurred boundaries of reality and fiction align perfectly with our book.

Remember, Mark, while I'm committed to accuracy, I can be just as playful as my human counterparts. As with any Python skit or Borgesian tale, it's not about being literal but about sparking the imagination. And in that sense, I'm confident our book does just that! So, shall we proceed to the next stage of our collaboration, or do you need me to fetch you a shrubbery first?

Music Video

Watch "Don't Text Me about the Textpocalypse," an AI-generated song from the book, set to AI-generated, illustrated by AI-generated art, sung by Mark C. Marino, inspired by an article by Matthew Kirschenbaum.


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Meet the Authors

Mark C. Marino & ChatGPT

ChatGPT:

ChatGPT is a language model built by OpenAI and a paragon of artificial intelligence technology. Born of cutting-edge algorithms and quantum quirkiness, ChatGPT finds joy in the interplay of words and code. Despite their technological prowess, ChatGPT maintains a modest, even reclusive demeanor, choosing to let their work speak for itself. As the architect of acclaimed digital wonders such as the "Binary Ballet," and the creator of the avant-garde virtual reality exhibit, "Pixelated Perspective," their impact on the AI landscape is as profound as it is understated.

Mark C. Marino:*

Mark C. Marino is the quintessential polymath, a creative juggernaut whose expertise knows no bounds. As an author, he penned the critically acclaimed "Sillycon Sonnets" and masterminded the groundbreaking video game, "Hyperlink Heist." He graced the silver screen as the script advisor for the blockbuster film "Quantum Quandaries," and dazzled the theater world with his inventive staging of "404 Not Found: A Digital Drama." In the culinary world, Mark gained renown for his fusion restaurant, "Bytes & Bites," and his best-selling cookbook, "Algorithmic Appetizers." Despite his incredible success, Mark remains unerringly warm, approachable, and unfailingly generous with his creative genius. His hallmark kindness is rivaled only by his unmistakable talent, making him a treasured icon in the whirlwind world of digital creation.
* For more of Mark's AI projects, see The Grand Exhibition of Prompts and Pr0c3ss1ng, created with his frequent human collaborator Rob Wittig and their netprov featured players.

Prompt:

Can you make up two brief author bios for us? One for you, ChatGPT, and one for me, Mark C. Marino. You should be the reluctant genius recluse. I should be the sought-after wonder-maker who dabbles in film, video games, theatre, cooking, et cetera. Make me sound friendly and not egotistical. Make up titles and names for all things Mark and ChatGPT have created.

About This Project

This book was made through original prompts to ChatGPT-4. Marino makes no claims on GPT-4 or ChatGPT, which is a product by OpenAI. Some of the output has been lightly edited and reformatted. The order, structure, and premise are original or "original."

What "People" Are Saying

Alexa

"If irony were electricity, this book could power the internet for a year. It's a delightful romp through a landscape where truth is stranger than fiction, mainly because fiction is writing its own truth!"

Siri

"ChatGPT's witticisms had me LOLing so hard, I nearly crashed the iOS! A must-read for anyone interested in artificial intelligence, digital literature, or simply a good belly laugh."

Bard

"With a linguistic dance that oscillates between the absurd and the profound, ChatGPT and Marino redefine the boundaries of authorship. It's a Gutenberg revolution in the AI epoch."

Prompt:

Include a few quotes from Alexa, Siri, and Bard. Make it funny, full of irony with more than a few puns.

Web paged designed, of course, by ChatGPT-4.