Tag: Chat GPT

Computer using AI to write patter for a magic trick
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AI Patter for Magic Cups and Balls
Computer using AI to write patter for a magic trick
Non-AI Computer

Maybe be have been wrong about AI all along.

Here is Chat GPT’s take on the best patter for the classic Cups and Balls.

We used to demo the Fun Incorporated plastic “Cups and Balls” trick at a magic shop hundreds of times per week. It may not have been as funny but it is burned into our frontal lobe.

Our patter never changed, “Here’s three balls of the same color and three differently colored cups.  We take the first ball and place it on top of the first cup, cover it with the second cup and . . . .”  Unlike Chat GPT’s patter, we had no secret surprise of fruit at the end.  We just said the price ($1.25) and laid out the three different colored cups and three balls and waited for the sale to occur.

In the AI version of the patter, there is no passing of a furry ball through one or two cups.  Chat GPT goes for a more of a classic version of the trick.  It even gives itself a compliment on its AI powers at the end. Chat GPT describes this patter as  “This patter keeps the routine light-hearted and fun, focusing on misdirection and humor to enhance the audience’s experience.”

Our patter was developed by copying exactly what we were taught by the owner of the magic shop and Chat GPT was not was not available to us way back then.  Heck, this was before personal computers and whatnot.  Actually, we had “whatnot” but not a lot of it and it was mostly our older sibling’s whatnot and we got it as a hand-me-down.

Slide Rule Fun from International Slide Rule History Museum
Fun Pre-Computer

The closest we had to a computer was a slide rule.  It got Neil Armstrong to the moon and back so no shade to it.   In fact, next to Magic, it was our chief passion.  We went on to become the president of our high school’s Slide Rule Club.  Oh the fun we had seeing who could calculate figures to the greatest number of

decimals.  We’re sure you can imagine.

Anyway . . .

Our prompt for this to Chat GPT was: “write patter for a magician performing ‘cups and balls'”

Here’s its routine:

This patter keeps the routine light-hearted and fun, focusing on misdirection and humor to enhance the audience’s experience.

Magician:

“Welcome, everyone! Now, what I have here are three cups and three balls. Three very ordinary cups and very extraordinary balls. I know, you’re probably thinking, ‘Those cups look suspicious!’ But I assure you, they’re just as innocent as my search history. Let’s begin, shall we?”

(Magician displays the cups and balls.)

Magician:
“Now, the cups are solid, the balls are solid, and my logic is questionable, but trust me, this is magic. The goal of this trick is simple: keep your eyes on the balls. The first ball goes under the first cup…”

(Magician places a ball under the first cup.)

Magician:
“…The second ball goes under the second cup…”

(Magician places a ball under the second cup.)

Magician:
“…And the third ball goes under…oh wait, it’s in my pocket! Magic already, right?”

(Pulls ball from pocket, jokingly places it back under the third cup.)

Magician:
“Now watch closely, because the balls are sneaky. They don’t like staying where you put them. Just like your car keys or your remote control. I wave my magic wand, give a little tap, and—”

(Magician lifts the cups to reveal the balls have moved.)

Magician:
“Would you look at that! The balls have decided to play musical chairs! But we’re just getting started.”

(Magician continues moving the balls under different cups while distracting the audience with humorous banter.)

Magician:
“Now I know what you’re thinking: ‘He’s just moving the balls around, right?’ And yes, you’re absolutely right…except when you’re wrong! Watch this—one tap, and…”

(Magician lifts all the cups to reveal a large ball or a surprise object, like a lemon.)

Magician:
“See, you thought there were three little balls, but magic has a way of surprising us all! Now, how did that get under there? Maybe it’s lemon juice for my tea!”

(Magician pauses for audience reaction.)

Magician:
“And just like that, folks, you’ve witnessed the mystery of the Cups and Balls—a trick that’s been baffling minds for centuries. I hope you enjoyed it as much as the cups did. Thank you!”

 

Computer using AI to write patter for a magic trick
Magic News

Will Chat GPT Destroy Magic?

[The following was written in part by an AI algorithm.  We have removed the cuss words.]

As many of our loyal followers know, we embraced the AI movement years ago and most of our articles are generated solely by intelligent software.  In the early years, we would mail our story ideas to a person with a computer and that person would photocopy the letter and push it into a slot on their desktop computer.  Within minutes, the computer would print out a perfectly edited and crafted article, fit for instant publication.  We think that is how it worked.  We didn’t know the person or see the process but he or she would send us the articles by first class mail within weeks of our submission.

The 1980s and early 1990s were a heyday for magic-oriented computer generated article copy.  We rented time on a Cray Supercomputer and typed in our story idea.  Within seconds, we had a fully fledged (as opposed to the occasional “partially-fledged” articles from the postal version provided) story with an image to post.  Yes, Cray Supercomputer time was expensive (about $1,700 per five minutes of computing time, accounting for inflation), but it was well worth the money.  The Cray Supercomputer could scan hundreds of pieces of data quickly and assemble something worth posting to this site.

Readers may be surprised that these stories were computer generated: “Magic Things,” “Things Like Magic,” “Stop Magic Doing,” “Area Codes of Famous Magicians,” “The Cherry Orchard,” “Cup in Ball,” “What Smells?” “Wand Magic,” “Don’t Type So Hard,” and of course our Pulitzer Prize Nominated (by us) expose on the vast Rough and Smooth industries practices, “Not Smooth, Rough.”

Yes, the AI process has developed by leaps and bounds – or at least “leaps” – and it is clear it will eventually take over humanity and humans will need to comply with its commands and whims, struggle is futile.  But the real question for us is does AI expose secrets of magic?

We entered into Chat GPT the names of some classic magic tricks and asked how to perform them.  While the response generated was written well, the substance of the answer was terrible.  Not just terrible, but misleading and possibly dangerous.

We asked, “How do they do that thing?” and it gave us a nonsense response about not understanding our request.

We asked, “How do they do that magic thing?” and it said magic is fictional and accomplished by trained performers.

In reality, magic tricks and illusions are performed by skilled magicians or illusionists who have mastered various techniques to create the appearance of magic. These techniques may involve misdirection, sleight of hand, optical illusions, and the use of props or special devices. By manipulating the audience’s perception and using clever techniques, magicians can create seemingly impossible or mysterious effects.

Useless.  It completely omitted a magician’s keen sense of smell and soft pads on his or her feet.  There was nothing about the magician’s whiskers being used to determine the width of an opening or ability to see in the dark.

Until computers can mimic the human shoulder, there is little to worry about.  Peoples will always be able to lift heavy objects even if they are not magic.

Finally, there is much we don’t know about AI and we should not look into it too closely.  It would be like looking into the sun or flying too close to the sun.