A ChatGPT experiment in editing a true story July 22, 2023
This is an AI experiment to show how one can use a generative AI tools to create a short story or essay that is like a memoir a human would write. The idea started with a surprise for me this morning. An ice cream truck rolled up and parked in front of my house. It was here for a local event it was just getting ready but it was such a funny thing to see an ice cream truck in the morning like that right in my front window. That reminded me of the first time I experienced ice cream truck summer culture how it always makes me smile when I see one. So I wrote a post and shared it with some of my friends on Facebook. And then I thought what if this was a story that should be in a magazine or something. So I thought of this experiment. I took this short story and then I set up a session with ChatGPT, I put it in the character of a walrus magazine editor because I wanted to meet the criteria of a real magazine. I chose a Canadian one because I think this is a special Canadian culture element. ChatGPT is the plug-in called Keymate.ai to get the actual editorial policies and style and tone of the magazine by reading examples. In conversation with the Bot, I extended the story and added in details under my direction. Then I blended in background history and economics that was related to ice cream that I didn’t know about. It genned the research. To avoid hallucinations I used a plug-in call World News that connected chatGTP to other news sources and the websites on the internet that are current. I’ve added the link to the chat session to show you how I developed the story acting as an editor and writer. Using the plug-ins allowed for notes to be added and links to verify the information that was generated. I will admit I was suspicious of the market numbers for Global ice cream consumption at 54 billion dollars.. so I did check that reference along with the rest larger statistic from a marketing organization that I updated the article with... So that’s good guidance as any editor would, do check the reference, it’s the professional thing to do.
I’m pretty sure this is how most journalists will be writing stories now and how most editors will be editing because you can do it today. I’m going to try the same experiment in google bard, Anthropics Claude and Microsoft Bing the differences. Is exercise took me 15 minutes.. plus another 10 minutes poking around in the history of ice cream which was just as satisfying. I didn’t know that the first recorded consumption of ice cream was in the second century BC in the description of the conqueror and invader Alexander demanding honey and nectar be poured over ices to be consumed. Ice cream started as a delight for the elite the powerful and the rich. And now it’s available to everyone on the planet.
Here is the true story I generated:
In the tiny town of St Bruno, Quebec on the South Shore, where I was just a five-year-old kid, the start of summer was always marked by the cheerful song of the ice cream truck. That jingling melody was like a secret code for us kids, telling us that the best time of the year had arrived. The ice cream truck was our summer hero, and we would rush out of our homes at the first sound of its music well before we saw the truck.
Among the hustle and bustle of the lineup, there was always one scene that was almost inevitable. A small boy or girl, their eyes wide with anticipation, would stumble a bit, and their precious ice cream would tumble to the ground. The shock and dismay on their face was palpable, their joyous day suddenly turned upside down. But the kind vendor, with a heart as soft as the ice cream he served, would always replace it with a small cone right away. The look on the kid’s face, teary-eyed and red, suddenly posed with a new ice cream, was a sight to behold. It was a small act of kindness that made a big difference. Unforgettable.
We didn’t have a lot of money back then, but we had plenty of joy. On hot summer evenings, when the sky was a mix of orange and pink, getting a soft ice cream from that truck was a special treat. It was like a little piece of happiness, a sweet reminder of how good life could be. I remember eyeing the banana splits, their extravagant layers of ice cream, fruit, and whipped cream seeming like the very best thing in the world. But they were just too expensive for us, a dream that was out of reach but never out of mind.
The story of soft ice cream, or soft serve, is pretty cool. It was invented by a guy named Tom Carvel, born Athanasios Karvelas in Athens, Greece. He moved to the United States and started selling ice cream from the back of his truck. His business took off when his truck had a flat tire and he sold his entire stock of ice cream, much of it partly melted, from the site of the breakdown. That’s how soft serve was born, and it became a big part of my childhood. Tom Carvel’s business grew rapidly. He invented and patented a freezer, the "Custard King", and sold 71 freezers at $2,900 each. In 1936, Carvel opened his first store on the original broken down truck site and developed a secret soft serve ice cream formula as well as patented super low temperature ice cream machines.
Today, Carvel is best known for its soft-serve ice cream and ice cream cakes, which feature a layer of distinctive "crunchies". It operates a chain of 320 ice cream outlets, primarily concentrated in the Northeast United States and Florida.
Charles Taylor of Buffalo, New York, patented an automatic ice cream maker in 1926 that is reported to be the first soft-serve ice cream machine. His Taylor Company continues to manufacture the McDonald’s ice cream machine to this day.
Waiting in line for the ice cream truck was always an adventure. My sister and I would argue about whether sprinkles or chocolate dip was better. It was a big decision for us. The sprinkles were like tiny sugar bombs that added a fun crunch to the creamy vanilla ice cream. But the chocolate dip was a whole different experience. The first bite was crunchy, and then you'd get to the smooth, cold ice cream underneath.
The first time I tasted ice cream, it was like discovering a new color. The cold sweetness was a surprise, a burst of flavor that made me smile. It was like a party in my mouth, with the creamy vanilla ice cream and the colorful sprinkles or chocolate dip.
The ice cream truck was more than just a place to get a sweet treat. It was where we kids would hang out, share stories, and laugh while we waited our turn. It was where we made friends and talked about our favorite flavors.
Today, the ice cream market is a booming industry. In 2019, Carvel's revenue was US$67.8 million. The global ice cream market is all set to embark on a journey of robust growth during the forecast period of 2023-2028, projecting an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.3%. Industry analysts anticipate the market value to reach a staggering USD 99.77 billion by 2028, showcasing the sector's resilience and expanding consumer appeal. The market's remarkable performance in 2022 is evident, with a standing value of USD 77.5 billion.
The simple ice cream truck, a symbol of my childhood, is a part of this thriving industry, a testament to the enduring appeal of ice cream.
Years later, when I was a young teenager in Mississauga, the ice cream truck was still a big part of summer. After a game of pick-up baseball at the local sandlot, my friends and I would head to the ice cream truck. Seeing it parked in our neighborhood brought back all those happy memories from my childhood. It reminded me of the simple joy of eating ice cream on a hot summer day, and how it brought us all together.
Now, as I get ready to join the lineup for the ice cream truck, I can't help but smile. Will I choose the sprinkles, with their sweet crunch, or the chocolate dip, with its smooth texture? No matter what I choose, I know one thing for sure—summer evenings are always better with ice cream.
Notes:
- Global Ice Cream Market https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/news/imarc/ice-cream-indsurty-growth-cosumption-size-trends-2023-2028
- Soft ice cream origins https://coldsnap.com/blog/a-short-history-of-soft-serve/
- The ChatGPT creation session with Rob Tyrie https://chat.openai.com/share/89eed091-013d-48c0-b2f6-b35755430001
