Does AI spell the end of humanity or the dawn of a new utopia? Fringe First winner Joe Sellman-Leava (Labels; Fanboy) might be a technophobe, but he’s determined to find out – using innovative design and a whirlwind of uncanny impressions. This new show explores imitation, AI, creativity, and democracy. Impersonating Big Tech overlords, former teachers and celebrities, Joe examines imitation as both a tool for connection and a stepping stone to originality.
Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome) from Wednesday 5th – Monday 31st August (not 12th, 19th, 26th) at 16:10.
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/copycat
How has your own ambivalence toward AI shaped the tone of COPYCAT — is it ultimately more cautionary, curious, or conflicted?
My immediate reaction to ChatGPT (other Large Language Models are available!) was “am I about to lose my job?!” – a big part of which is screenwriting. I’m terrified for the creative industries in general: people’s livelihoods, our culture, creativity and critical thinking. Equally, I wanted to have an open mind, listen to as many experts as possible, and hear the case for this technology (I’m yet to be convinced). In terms of how all this has affected the tone of COPYCAT, there’s curiosity for sure – a big part of the show is about asking questions, and how technology and art influence that. There’s a fear underneath this too. But I felt like we could have fun with that: imagining a machine-led future brought sci-fi movies like Terminator, Robocop and The Matrix to mind, which seemed like a good jumping off point for both dark humour and impressions.
What made imitation and impressions the right theatrical language for exploring questions of creativity and originality?
Many people’s interaction with AI involves imitation: deepfakes, AI-generated images, music or video (made from copying myriad human-made sources and reassembling them). And any piece of text, any answer to a question you ask, will be assembled from copies of what’s available on the internet. I was interested in imitation, mimicry impressions as a as a way of exploring both machine and human learning. Imitation is how we learn, until we form our own sense of self. Ken Robinson defines creativity as “original ideas that have value.” Yet nothing exists in a vacuum: the most creative people and engaging works of art are inspired or influenced by other artists, ideas, experiences and events. So, it felt right to put impressions – which are inherently about mimicry – within an original story, to try and wrestle with these questions.
How does setting the piece in a mid-2000s classroom reframe today’s anxieties about Big Tech and social media?
Computers at that time were introducing us to blogs, streaming, podcasts and social media. But they were novel, not fully in the mainstream – almost innocent, compared to their outsized influence on today’s culture and politics. It’s also partly because one of the show’s key characters is a teacher who cares more about the question than the answer – and the role of creativity and art within this. And partly because at this time, I was failing my IT classes, and no longer doing history classes – so I’m reflecting on that, and how it leaves me feeling on the backfoot when trying to unpack the links between AI and fascism. The classroom pairs with the practical design gestures in the show, since learning at that time rarely involved screens. It was much more tangible: pen and paper, chalk and blackboard.
In what ways did your personal experiences of AI disrupting creative industries influence the narrative of the show?
Since I’ve started making the show, much of my screenwriting work has dried up. It’s impossible to know for sure how much AI is the cause of that, but what’s happening isn’t exclusive to the creative industries: many people are either losing work, or fearful they might. One theory is that, in order to justify the major investment that companies have made in AI, they’re having to cut staff – even if the technology hasn’t brought productivity gains! Data centres drive up energy prices; wealth and power are funnelling upwards – a roaring stock market but fragility in the real economy of jobs, housing, essentials and public services. This has been happening since 2008, but COVID and now AI are compounding factors. The show sits in this context: trying to ask where we go, when we don’t know how it’ll play out, and what else we might lose beyond our livelihoods.
How do you approach engaging audiences in complex political ideas — like the link between Big Tech and authoritarianism—without losing playfulness?
I wondered if I was being paranoid about the link between AI with fascism – until I heard Geoffrey Hinton – one of AI’s pioneers – raise the alarm about it. It’s dark subject matter, but Worklight have always tried to bring levity to our shows. We want people to have fun and be able to laugh at times, even if the story itself contains darker or more troubling themes or questions. Part of the way we’ve kept it playful is by coming back to things like the impressions, the sci-fi films, and the drama games that form part of the student-teacher narrative thread. And to lean into the joy of discovery and curiosity, which is part of what makes creativity and art so engaging.
What conversations do you hope COPYCAT sparks about the role of education in nurturing creativity in an increasingly automated world?
Creativity is inherently human – some of our oldest anthropological records include cave-paintings and tools. Many see art as a luxury – a nice-to-have – but we know it’s vital for many wellbeing, connection, expression, discovery and understanding the world around us. Arts have been cut from many state schools, but not fee-paying ones: they clearly are valued in education, just not for everyone. Students learn better when they’re well-nourished, and can exercise regularly. I think the same is true when they have access to an art form they love. Cultural and creative activities are immensely valuable in and of themselves, but when it comes to learning, they help shape our ideas, critical thinking, problem-solving. They help our minds form connections, develop collaboration and communication. They increase happiness and decrease loneliness. They keep us asking questions, which I think can only be a good thing for society.