Trying my hand at ‘writing’ an AI-generated horror story

Polar bear and tabby cat versus pontianak: Who do you think will win?

This was the zany scenario conjured up by this noob artificial intelligence (AI) storyteller, in the horror-themed story-generating experience put together by the National Library Board (NLB) and Haw Par Villa.

Node: StoryGen (Horror Edition) is an immersive experience at the theme park in Pasir Panjang powered by a generative AI prototype. Produced by NLB and Amazon Web Services, the node lets visitors generate their own unique stories. It started in October and will next run on Nov 2 and 3.

I went not knowing what to expect. 

While I waited in line at the Dragon Pavilion for my turn to generate a story, I scrolled on a big touchscreen a list of horror books that can be borrowed on the NLB Mobile app. I read a snippet of a novel titled A Haunting On The Hill by Elizabeth Hand and was hooked right away. I knew I had to scan the QR code to borrow the e-book on the Libby app.

When it was time to “write” my own horror story, the digital screen displayed prompts for me to choose.

I first chose a storyline from options ranging from classics like Little Red Riding Hood to local folklore like Pontianak. The prompts for the location were as varied as outer space or HDB flats. I then chose two characters, a polar bear and a tabby cat, selected a happy ending for my story and left it to AI to do its magic. 

There were two different rooms where I could read my story, each with different themed decorations. The first was decorated with wreaths and candles to portray a funeral, while the other was kampung-themed. I chose the latter.

I was led into a small room decorated like a scene from a movie about a pontianak, the vengeful ghost of a wronged woman. I could have been inside a forest, with a mannequin made up to look like a pontianak, covered in blood standing on the ground. A TV screen in the middle of the room displayed the title of my AI-generated story, The Polar Bear’s Plight: Confronting The Pontianak. 

The story was about six pages long and had AI-generated visuals, which illustrated the polar bear facing off against the pontianak until the tabby cat springs into action, rallying more animals to unite against the supernatural threat. Each page screened for about 10 seconds before flipping to the next, like a virtual storybook. 

Yes, the graphics were grim and dark and there were blood and flesh and ghostly figures in the illustrations, but it lacked a scary soundtrack and special effects. For horror aficionados like me who crave the adrenaline rush, I would’ve loved the addition of scare elements to complete the experience. 

I crafted three separate stories. Each was unexpected and very different from the usual horror stories I’ve read. After the animals-versus-pontianak tale, I prompted a second story involving an unsettling twist where a corpse comes back to life and kills a boy who was visiting its funeral.

Mr Winston Tan, NLB’s deputy director of planning and development, said: “StoryGen (Horror Edition) transforms stories in text form into an immersive visual and multimedia experience using generative AI, to encourage visitors to learn about local literature and Singapore stories.”

If you’re at Haw Par Villa viewing the 10 Courts of Hell over the weekend, drop by the Dragon Pavilion for this 10-minute immersive experience, which could make for an interesting encounter with generative AI.

StoryGen (Horror Edition) is free for all to attend on Nov 2 and 3, from noon to 6pm. Visit

https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/visit-us/public-libraries-singapore/Nodes

for more information.

Fret not if you aren’t a fan of horror. You can experience the classic StoryGen node at West Coast Community Centre at the Comics Library, open from 10am to 10pm daily, except on public holidays. You can register at

https://go.gov.sg/comics2-westcoast-registration

before your visit to the Comics Library.