Video Feedback as a Model for Emergent Narrative

This chapter delves into the concept of emergent narratives, focusing on the interplay between video feedback and narrative feedback to create dynamic, interactive stories. The authors draw parallels between the artistic use of video feedback and the generation of emergent narratives in live performances, utilizing cybernetic loops and improvisational theater techniques. A key aspect of the study is the implementation of a narrative feedback loop in a live theatrical performance called Human Feedback, which combines human conversation with AI-generated summaries. The performance explores the tension between initial ambiguity and accumulating context, with participants emphasizing their emotions and the AI affirming and combining these into summaries. The chapter also discusses the potential for future work, including the exploration of emotional attractors in narrative feedback and the development of faster mechanisms for narrative reification and elicitation. The study concludes by highlighting the social and political significance of viewing generative AI as a feedback channel for socially interactive creative projects, emphasizing the role of human participation in the creative process.