Insights from the 'AI Fiction in the Wild' Study
A recent paper presented at Purdue University's MFS Cultural AI Conference, titled AI Fiction in the Wild, has shed light on how people utilize generative AI to create creative content. By examining a dataset of half a million anonymous English-language ChatGPT interactions sourced from the WildChat interface, researchers uncovered unusual behaviors among the platform's user base.
The study highlights that a significant portion of AI engagement—exceeding one-third of all conversations—is dedicated to generating fictional content. This includes scripts, original narratives, world-building, roleplay, and fanfiction.
The Rise of 'Infinite Story Demanders'
The researchers categorized habitual fiction prompters into two main groups: story cyclers, who periodically rotate through various themes or narratives, and infinite story demanders, who repeatedly ask for the same or nearly identical stories over extended periods.
The study identified a particularly notable power user within the 'infinite story demander' category. Over several months, this individual generated thousands of variations on a specific premise involving the visual novel Doki Doki Literature Club, focusing primarily on pregnancy-themed narratives centered on characters like Natsuki. The researchers noted that these sessions frequently involved a character named Sakura, possibly inspired by the Naruto franchise.
Concentrated Usage and Fandom Trends
Data indicates that high-frequency users disproportionately influence the dataset. According to the findings, "Two percent of users within the fiction subset are responsible for more than 80% of the conversations." While niche interests like those of the aforementioned user impact these metrics, popular fandoms for AI-generated fanfiction across the dataset included:
- Doki Doki Literature Club
- League of Legends
- Freedom Planet
- Naruto
AI-Generated Fiction vs. Human Creativity
The study's findings contrast sharply with trends on human-led platforms like AO3, where fandoms such as Harry Potter, My Hero Academia, and Supernatural dominate. Traditional fanfiction serves as a communal space where writers and readers interact, fostering a shared experience.
In contrast, generating fiction with an AI appears to be a much more solipsistic pursuit. While human fanfic is often an expression of love for stories, the AI-generated version is inherently isolated in its approach.
This academic analysis utilizes data collected via the WildChat interface on Hugging Face, where users provided consent for their anonymized conversations to be used for research purposes between April 2023 and May 2024.