Researchers from the University of Sydney have created a groundbreaking AI tool that’s making people funnier, especially when writing cartoon captions for The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest.
This new AI application is proving to be a game-changer for those looking to add a punchline to their creative endeavors.
The study involved twenty participants who had little to no experience in writing jokes.
They were tasked with writing 400 captions for various cartoons—half with the aid of the AI tool and half without any help.
When these captions were evaluated by another group of 67 people for their humor, the captions crafted with AI were found to be significantly funnier.
In fact, they were almost 30% more similar to the captions that win The New Yorker’s contest.
Participants reported that the AI tool was particularly helpful in building humorous stories and sparking new ideas.
It seemed to act as a catalyst for creativity, helping them understand and play with funny elements in their captions.
An interesting finding was that nearly half of the captions written with AI help were also considered funnier than the original captions from The New Yorker itself.
Dr. Anusha Withana, who led the study, believes that this tool doesn’t just make people funnier—it could also be the remedy for writer’s block.
The tool was also designed with non-native English speakers in mind, helping them grasp and use humor in English more effectively. The results were promising, showing that these users found the AI tool to be 43% more effective in bringing their captions closer to the contest-winning quality. Dr. Withana, who has lived in multiple countries, understands firsthand how challenging it can be to appreciate local humor as an outsider.
He shared personal anecdotes about the cultural nuances of humor, highlighting the potential of this AI tool in easing such social transitions.
Hasindu Kariyawasam, an undergraduate research intern, spearheaded this project, which has been documented in the Proceedings of the 29th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces.
Emphasizing the broader implications of humor, Kariyawasam noted its importance in connecting with others, fostering emotional well-being, and sparking creativity.
The AI tool operates by analyzing the description of a cartoon and then suggesting incongruous words that could lead to humorous interpretations.
For instance, in a cartoon depicting a person wearing a rabbit suit to the office, the AI suggested the words “rabbit” and “soup.” This hint led to the creation of a funny caption that played on the word mix-up.
Professor Judy Kay, part of the research team, explained that this method allows users to understand and feel in control of how the AI functions. Dr. Withana concluded by emphasizing that while the AI assists in the process, it’s the human touch that ultimately creates the humor.
This study not only showcases the potential of AI in enhancing our social interactions but also makes a compelling case for its role in amplifying human creativity.
Source: University of Sydney.
