AI Jokes

One morning recently I read a comment on LinkedIn which said, “Wake me up when AI can write jokes.” I knew there had been efforts along this line (fall down the Google hole for yourself), but I found one I wish to plug. Witscript. It’s on Twitter, and I don’t do Twitter, so I won’t be seeing much of it. It’s best at Pythonesque/Firesignish non sequitur humor.

Two examples:

USER: Police in a Pennsylvania city are warning the public to be on the lookout for a white python. WITSCRIPT: The snake is believed to be about 6 feet long and was last seen wearing a denim miniskirt and tank top.

USER: Senator Mitch McConnell called President Biden’s decision to cancel some student debt "a slap in the face to working Americans." WITSCRIPT: Senator Elizabeth Warren called it "a high-five."

And just so you know I know: yes, there was an AI joke writing program that was fake―just a front for a comedian. Also, there is Jon, the comedian bot; it doesn’t write its own jokes, but it does change its delivery and set order based on audience reaction.