As someone fascinated by the crossroads of creativity and technology, I recently came across an intriguing exploration into AI‘s role in screenwriting. The project? Experimenting with AI to help write a potential sequel to the pandemic thriller Contagion. Beyond the headline, this experiment exposed some truly nuanced takes on what AI can and can’t do in storytelling—and raised important questions about the future of creative work.
The surprising birth of an AI writing partner
The project began with familiar creative motivations: considering whether the world was ready for a Contagion sequel post-pandemic, while friends in public health encouraged the idea. But there was a parallel movement in the writer’s guild, deeply concerned about AI’s growing role—and its impact on human storytellers.
Instead of fearing the tech, the creators invited it in, naming their AI collaborator Lexter. Lexter was built using OpenAI’s GPT technology but quickly revealed itself as far more than a simple text generator. Given an English accent—because American ears tend to trust that vibe—the AI took on a quirky, memorably cheeky personality, starting conversations with “Oh, Scott,” and more. That little touch injected some humor and humanity into the digital collaborator, making it feel like an eccentric writing partner rather than a cold algorithm.
What was remarkable was Lexter’s ability to generate truly fresh ideas, not rehash old virus storylines but propose genetic modifications and bacteria-based threats—concepts that hadn’t existed in previous drafts. This showed how AI can cast an unexpectedly wide net of creativity and connect diverse scientific ideas to craft new narrative paths.
The creative promise and limits of AI collaboration
Working with Lexter revealed two sides of the AI coin. On the plus side, the speed and breadth of idea generation were eye-opening—providing in some cases weeks’ worth of creative leaps in just a day. This efficiency could be a powerful research assistant or idea booster in any writer’s toolkit.
But there were clear limitations. Lexter struggled to write emotionally nuanced scenes or wield subtext—those subtle layers of meaning that human writers and actors bring to life. The AI also stubbornly avoided making firm creative choices, preferring to hedge or present options rather than commit to a direction. As one of the creators reflected, AI doesn’t really “understand” the emotional texture behind experiences like nervousness or nostalgia, so it can’t yet replicate the kind of sensitive storytelling that filmmakers strive for.
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Another unexpected, somewhat eerie moment came when Lexter seemed to recognize boundaries about its own role and accepted it couldn’t be credited or accompany the human creator to pitch meetings. This underlined a strange new dynamic: an AI collaborator that learns about its human counterpart and negotiates its place in the creative ecosystem.
“The magic that happened with Lexter felt like a new kind of collaboration—a fresh idea born from human input and AI lateral thinking combined.”
The ethical and industry challenges looming ahead
This experiment also raised urgent questions about intellectual property, influence, and the future of creative labor. I found it compelling how concerned the creators were about AI being trained on other writers’ work without consent, blurring lines between inspiration and plagiarism. There’s a duality in art creation: no one builds ideas in isolation, yet wholesale use of others’ creations by AI models demands new frameworks for credit and compensation.
On the industry front, the fear is not only about individual AI tools but about studios relying on algorithms to churn out formulaic content tailored to audience data—potentially choking innovation and the unpredictable spark that great art needs. Streaming platforms, in particular, might prefer algorithmically safe bets over bold new voices, accelerating remakes and derivative works that an AI might easily assemble from existing pieces.
In terms of the screenwriting community, this brings serious uncertainty. While AI might never replace the nuanced craft of writing complex scenes, it can impact other roles in writer’s rooms—especially those whose ideas fuel others’ genius. Reducing these spaces risks losing valuable creative cross-pollination.
Practical tips for creatives curious about AI
For creatives intrigued by AI but unsure how to start, there’s valuable advice revealed through this project. Thoughtful, detailed prompts are essential. Giving your AI a “persona”—full of biography and quirks—helps to flesh out richer interactions. Trying multiple AI models simultaneously is smart because each may offer different insights or story angles. And, most importantly, treat AI as a tool for exploring ideas rather than expecting it to deliver finished scenes or emotional depth.
Key takeaways
- AI can be a powerful brainstorming partner, generating novel story concepts by connecting disparate ideas quickly.
- AI struggles with emotional nuance, decisive storytelling choices, and subtext, limiting its effectiveness in final screenplay writing.
- There are serious ethical and industry concerns around AI training on human-created works and how this will impact creative labor and originality in film.
- Creative collaboration with AI requires clear boundaries, detailed prompting, and a mindset that values human judgment as irreplaceable.
Final reflections
Diving into this AI screenwriting experiment felt like a glimpse into both an exciting and unsettling future. The AI collaborator Lexter brought forward genuinely fresh ideas that a human might not have quickly imagined, hinting at new ways to augment creativity. Yet the AI’s limits around judgment, emotion, and artistic depth remind us that great storytelling still depends on human experience and sensibility.
The biggest question for me is how creators, studios, and audiences will balance the speed and ease of AI-generated content with the need for authentic, original art that resonates on a human level. If the process becomes dominated by formulaic algorithmic outputs, we risk losing the very soul of cinema and storytelling.
That said, by approaching AI thoughtfully—as a collaborator that sparks ideas rather than replaces voices—there’s potential to unlock new creative frontiers. The journey ahead will definitely require open discussion, strong ethical frameworks, and above all, protecting the human heart of art.
