Proposing a Novelist-Independent Method for SF Prototyping Workshops: Storytelling Support by Collaboration with Generative AI

Abstract

This study proposes a methodology for conducting science fiction (SF) prototyping workshops effectively without the need for professional storytellers, such as novelists. Our approach harnesses generative AI for collaborative storytelling support. This approach encompasses keyword-driven idea collection, AI-mediated storytelling, expert insight-based guiding frameworks, and evaluation processes for AI-generated outputs. Implemented in various workshops without professional storytellers, this approach markedly shortened the time to create a worldview that fairly reflects the participants' perspectives and efficiently enriched the details of narratives, enhancing the immersion into a fictional future world. By utilizing a critical attitude toward the output of the generative AI, the workshop maintained a fluid dialogue and provided a rich experience consistent with SF prototyping features such as free thinking. Results indicate that the proposed method has the potential to facilitate the spread of short, intensive workshops and general use for SF prototyping.