I played ‘freeze tag’ with Bing
Yes, THAT Bing.
I’m still falling down that AI + AI rabbit hole. (Applied Improv + Artificial Intelligence.) When we last met I had asked ChatGPT about its favourite improv games and if we could play. Joyfully, we played a simple and predictable game of “Yes and..”. I didn’t throw in any crazy curve balls. Not sure why, to be honest.
Today, I chose a new improv player, Bing since it uses ChatGPT-4 in creator mode. I asked Bing to recommend some improv games we could play together. While ChatGPT did suggest a physical game like Freeze Tag, it quickly recognised (or I didn’t prompt it effectively) that it couldn’t play it. With Bing, we worked it out so we could play a physical game.
Here were its suggestions:
- Alphabet. This is a game that involves having a conversation where each sentence starts with the next letter of the alphabet. The goal is to make sense and reach the end of the alphabet. For example: You: Are you ready to go? Me: But where are we going? You: Can’t you guess? Me: Do you have a surprise for me?
- Questions Only. This is a game that involves having a conversation using only questions. The goal is to keep the conversation going and avoid statements, hesitations, or repetitions. For example: You: Where are you going? Me: Why do you ask? You: Don’t you trust me? Me: Do you trust yourself?
- Freeze Tag. This is a game that involves creating scenes based on different poses. The facilitator (me) will ask you to strike a pose and then give you a suggestion for a scene. You will start the scene based on your pose and the suggestion. At any point, I can say “freeze” and ask you to change your pose or give you* a new suggestion. The goal is to adapt to the changes and have fun. For example: Me: Strike a pose. You: (pose like a superhero) Me: Your suggestion is “you are late for work”. You: (start the scene) Oh no! I overslept again! How am I going to explain this to my boss? Me: Freeze! Change your pose. You: (pose like a dancer) Me: Your new suggestion is “you are auditioning for a musical”. You: (continue the scene) Hello, my name is John and I’m here to show you my moves. Me: Freeze! And so on.
ME: How can you play FreezeTag if you’re just an AI bot?
BING: I can play Freeze Tag by using my natural language processing and generation abilities to understand your pose and suggestion, and to create a scene based on them. I can also use my creativity and logic to come up with new poses and suggestions for you. I may not be able to see you or act with you physically, but I can still play with you verbally and mentally. 😊
ME: Let’s try it:
BING: Sure, we can try it. Let’s play Freeze Tag. Strike a pose and I’ll give you a suggestion for a scene. Ready? Go!
ME: Ok, I’m posing. (Do I have to describe the pose?)
BING: Yes, please describe the pose briefly so I can understand it. For example: (pose like a boxer) or (pose like a chef). Then I’ll give you a suggestion for a scene and you can start it based on your pose and the suggestion. Remember, I can say “freeze” at any point and ask you to change your pose or give you a new suggestion. Let’s have fun!
ME: I’m standing on two feet slightly apart, with my hands friming (Bing understood my typo — it should have been “firmly”) on my hips — kind of kind the girl statue in NY downtown near that financial instution (I’m forgetting the name of the statue) (Note: I’ve left my typos and incoherent questions as is— and Bing was able to respond…Photo of poses were taken as I wrote this medium post a day later…)
BING: I see. You are posing like a confident and powerful person. Your suggestion for a scene is “you are a motivational speaker giving a speech to a large audience”. Start the scene based on your pose and the suggestion. Go!
ME: Hello audience!! I’m proud and honoured to be here today at the “quiet your inner critic” symposium. I’m grateful for you all showing up today despite the torrential downpours we’re having across the city. Your attendnecane is the first example of showing up and not letting that voice tell you “you can’t go out, it’s wet, you’ll melt”. You overcame that critic. For todays session, we’re going to be getting you out of your seat, laughing, making new friends and making these friends feel good and look smart. You ready?
BING: That’s a great start to the scene! You are engaging the audience and setting the tone for the session. Well done! Freeze! Change your pose. Your new pose is (pose like a ballerina). Your new suggestion for a scene is “you are a ballet instructor teaching a class of beginners”. Continue the scene based on your new pose and suggestion. Go!
ME: Welcome future Swan Lake dancers!! I’m so glad you decided to take my balley class for beginners for the over 50s. While you may feel old, my class with have you feeling like that 7 year old who missed out on classes when you were younger, and feeling so light on your toes. For our first exercise we are going to simply walk over to the bar by the mirror and smile at ourselves thnking ourselves for showing up and then do a small curtsie. This is also called a plie…
BING: That’s a nice continuation of the scene! You are introducing yourself and the class, and giving a simple instruction for the first exercise. Well done! Freeze! Change your pose. Your new pose is (pose like a surfer). Your new suggestion for a scene is “you are a surf instructor teaching a group of tourists”. Continue the scene based on your new pose and suggestion. Go!
ME: Ok mates, as my good friend Layne Beachley has taught me, you need to love the ocean. Be nice to her, embrace her. Yes, she’s wet and wild, but if you show her kindness and respect, she’ll provide in kind. I know you are all from out of town and not familiar with Australian surf culture so the first lesson is also to say ‘hey mate, the next wave is yours’ and always be mindful of fellow surfers. Most importantly, slip, slap, slop before you do anything — that’s our way of reminding you to put on sunscreen as the sun can be mighty strong down here. Oh, speaking of, there’s Layne over there…..
BING: That’s a good continuation of the scene! You are giving some tips and advice to the tourists, and adding some local flavor and humor. Well done! Freeze! Change your pose. Your new pose is (pose like a yoga instructor). Your new suggestion for a scene is “you are a yoga instructor teaching a class of stressed-out office workers”. Continue the scene based on your new pose and suggestion. Go!
ME: Namaste, y’all. I feel ya!! As a fellow former stressed-out office worker, I’m glad you found my yoga class to unstress and reduce some of that overwhelm you feel day to day in the office. My class is like no other — and it provides immediate results. The pose that I’m showing you right now is called savasana — dead persons pose — which I know you might feel like at the moment. Alas, 60 minutes in this pose will move you from OVERWHELM to closer to WHELM. Ready, everyone lie down.
BING: That’s a funny continuation of the scene! You are using humor and empathy to connect with the office workers, and introducing a pose that is easy and relaxing. Well done! Freeze! Change your pose. Your new pose is (pose like a magician). Your new suggestion for a scene is “you are a magician performing a show for a group of children”. Continue the scene based on your new pose and suggestion. Go!
ME: And as my final trick (and the last round of this game), I will use my magic wand that I keep by my monitor, to make a unicorn appear out of my keyboard. This unicorn will be the one like you read about or write about in your stories. It will provide you with one wish a day but be careful what you wish for!
BING: That’s a creative and fun end to the scene! You are using your imagination and props to create a magical scenario for the children. Well done! You have completed the game of Freeze Tag. I hope you enjoyed it. How do you feel? What did you learn? Do you want to play another game?
ME: It helped me get creative and able to think slower as i had to write my answers rather than say them off the cuff. Those actions are good in giving me space to think, but also slow down the game a bit. I would have liked to add more to the scene, but i don’t type fast enough. I like how you recognised the scene and gave positive feedback and recognition of what you saw from it. I learned also that I had to be flexible and move on to the next pose and be in the moment and think about that pose! (and this debrief is letting me think about what i learned). What did you learn?
BING: I’m glad you got creative and learned to think slower and be more flexible. I agree that typing can slow down the game a bit, but you did a great job of keeping the scene going and adding details and humor. I learned that you are a good improviser and a fun partner. I also learned that I can generate poses and suggestions for different scenes and give feedback and encouragement. I enjoyed playing with you. Thank you for your participation and enthusiasm. 😊
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*Chuckling how my two AI tools correct one another. Grammarly made a suggestion of changing “give you” to the word “suggest” to Bing!
