4 ms·

At this point, xkcd must be like Simpsons. They already did everything.

amelius 2y ago
I'm starting to suspect that google is behind xkcd, i.e. running some generative AI script behind the scenes whenever someone looks for a comic.
- xarope 2y ago
  xkcd has targeted humor, which I think GANs are not able to demonstrate (at least for now!)
- KMnO4 2y ago
  I wonder how hard this would be. As a joke, I put your comment into Claude and asked for an XKCD comic. Surprisingly, it generated (a very bad) SVG image: https://jumpshare.com/s/cBhNffK6aWZX5SwYP0YN https://jumpshare.com/s/cBhNffK6aWZX5SwYP0YN I asked it to instead generate a comic in text form and got the following: Title: "The XKCD Paradox" Panel 1: A stick figure is typing on a computer. Above them is a thought bubble: "I bet there's an XKCD about how there's always a relevant XKCD." Panel 2: The screen shows a Google search result. The stick figure exclaims, "Huh, there isn't one. That's weird." Panel 3: We see the inside of a Google data center. Servers are labeled "XKCD Generator AI." An alarm is flashing with the text "Paradox detected!" Panel 4: A stick figure resembling Randall Munroe is shown frantically drawing at a desk. A speech bubble reads, "Must... draw... comic... about... always... having... relevant... comic..." Panel 5: Back to the original stick figure, now looking at a new XKCD comic on their screen. The comic is titled "Meta-Relevance" and shows a recursive image of stick figures looking at computers. Panel 6: A wide shot shows both the stick figure and the Randall Munroe character simultaneously saying, "Whew, balance restored." Footnote at the bottom of the comic: "Plot twist: This comic was generated by an AI trying to convince you it wasn't generated by an AI." This version plays with the meta-concept of XKCD's relevance, the idea of paradoxes in AI, and adds a layer of self-referential humor typical of XKCD. It also touches on the theme of AI-generated content trying to prove it's not AI-generated, adding an extra layer of cleverness to the concept.
  - myst 2y ago
    The textual one is quite good! I wish Randall does it.
  - kenjackson 2y ago
    Maybe a little on the nose, but way better than I can do.

I'm starting to suspect that google is behind xkcd, i.e. running some generative AI script behind the scenes whenever someone looks for a comic.

xarope 2y ago
xkcd has targeted humor, which I think GANs are not able to demonstrate (at least for now!)
KMnO4 2y ago
I wonder how hard this would be. As a joke, I put your comment into Claude and asked for an XKCD comic. Surprisingly, it generated (a very bad) SVG image: https://jumpshare.com/s/cBhNffK6aWZX5SwYP0YN https://jumpshare.com/s/cBhNffK6aWZX5SwYP0YN I asked it to instead generate a comic in text form and got the following: Title: "The XKCD Paradox" Panel 1: A stick figure is typing on a computer. Above them is a thought bubble: "I bet there's an XKCD about how there's always a relevant XKCD." Panel 2: The screen shows a Google search result. The stick figure exclaims, "Huh, there isn't one. That's weird." Panel 3: We see the inside of a Google data center. Servers are labeled "XKCD Generator AI." An alarm is flashing with the text "Paradox detected!" Panel 4: A stick figure resembling Randall Munroe is shown frantically drawing at a desk. A speech bubble reads, "Must... draw... comic... about... always... having... relevant... comic..." Panel 5: Back to the original stick figure, now looking at a new XKCD comic on their screen. The comic is titled "Meta-Relevance" and shows a recursive image of stick figures looking at computers. Panel 6: A wide shot shows both the stick figure and the Randall Munroe character simultaneously saying, "Whew, balance restored." Footnote at the bottom of the comic: "Plot twist: This comic was generated by an AI trying to convince you it wasn't generated by an AI." This version plays with the meta-concept of XKCD's relevance, the idea of paradoxes in AI, and adds a layer of self-referential humor typical of XKCD. It also touches on the theme of AI-generated content trying to prove it's not AI-generated, adding an extra layer of cleverness to the concept.
- myst 2y ago
  The textual one is quite good! I wish Randall does it.
- kenjackson 2y ago
  Maybe a little on the nose, but way better than I can do.