Exercises in unimaginativeness. Case study of GPT based translation and travesty of Alfred Jarry's “Ubu King”
This paper investigates the application of large language models (LLMs), specifically GPT-4, in translating and transforming Alfred Jarry's avant-garde play Ubu Roi (Ubu King) through the lens of "uncreative writing." This concept involves repurposing existing texts to generate new forms of literary expression that challenge traditional notions of originality and authorship. We conducted a case study by first translating Ubu Roi from French to Polish using GPT-4. Subsequently, the translated text was reinterpreted into various genres and styles, showcasing the model's capability to navigate and creatively reshape classical literature. Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), particularly Dall-E 3, were employed to produce illustrative content complementing these textual adaptations. This experiment highlights the transformative potential of AI in literature, emphasizing the convergence of digital technology and classical literary forms to generate novel insights and reinterpretations. The culmination of this project is the publication of a book that amalgamates these AI-driven reinterpretations, bridging the digital and analog realms.