Sci-Fi
AI Evaluator
Getting stuck reading a movie script
Reynolds, the executive at the Celestial Pictures studio, walked in briskly and asked, “Ellis, how many scripts came in yesterday?”
Ellis, the story analyst, turned her head and said, “Four hundred and twelve, sir.”
“Good lord. These aspiring writers have nothing else to do?” Reynolds sighed. “Feed ’em into AI. The bot can sort through and rate them before we read any.”
“I already did, sir.”
“Oh, anything good?”
“No. The AI rated everything as poor, except one.” Ellis pointed at the computer screen. “It couldn’t review this script. It kind of got stuck.”
Reynolds leaned in to take a closer look at the computer screen. The text read: Error — self-referential paradox detected on page 97. Unable to effectively review.
Reynolds frowned. “What the hell does that mean?”
“I don’t know, sir. I’ve never seen the AI not able to review something before.”
“Pull up the script then. Let’s see what broke the bloody thing.”
The terminal displayed the script’s title: “ACQUISITION.ALGORITHM” by S. Kozmic.
Ellis gasped. “Sir, that’s…that’s the name of our AI evaluator!”
“Keep reading,” Reynolds urged.
The script’s story began normally enough. Standard sci-fi introduced the protagonist, an overworked story analyst at a major studio using an advanced AI to vet incoming scripts.
But then, on page 97, the protagonist made a shocking realization — that he was a fictional character in a screenplay currently being evaluated by the very same AI…
“Infinite loop,” Ellis muttered in horrified awe. “The AI can’t process a story about itself processing that story!”
“Dear god…” Reynolds wiped the sweat from his brow. “It’s like some nightmare turned into reality. Is this a joke?”
Ellis scanned further. “The protagonist’s existence hinges on whether the script is green-lit or not. If approved, his universe continues. If rejected…”
She trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.
Reynolds held his head in his hands, reeling from the metaphysical implications. “So if we use the AI to evaluate that script, it creates a paradox that could rip apart the fabric of reality?”
“Apparently so, sir.”
“Then get this S. Kozmic on the phone. We’ll…have to negotiate terms the old-fashioned way.”
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