‘Black Mirror’ Creator Charlie Brooker Used ChatGPT to Write ‘Terrible’ Episode

Looks like Black Mirror fans won’t be getting a ChatGPT-based episode in its sixth season. In a new interview with Empire, series creator Charlie Brooker shared that he used the AI software and typed “'generate Black Mirror episode'” before being disappointed with its result.

“…and it comes up with something that, at first glance, reads plausibly, but on second glance, is s***. Because all it’s done is look up all the synopsis’ of ‘Black Mirror’ episodes, and sort of mush them together,” Brooker said. “Then if you dig a bit more deeply you go, 'Oh, there’s not actually any real original thought here.' It’s [1970s impressionist] Mike Yarwood — there’s a topical reference.”

However, the experience ended up being a lesson for Brooker, 52, who figured out what to avoid with using technology, despite his show being centered on tech dystopia.

“I was aware that I had written lots of episodes where someone goes 'Oh, I was inside a computer the whole time!,” he joked. "So I thought, 'I’m just going to chuck out any sense of what I think a ‘Black Mirror’ episode is.' There’s no point in having an anthology show if you can’t break your own rules. Just a sort of nice, cold glass of water in the face.”

The 6-episode new season of Black Mirror begins on June 15, with first episode “Joan Is Awful,” where “an average woman is stunned to discover a global streaming platform has launched a prestige TV drama adaptation of her life.” In the TV drama, the episode protagonist is portrayed by Hollywood A-lister Salma Hayek-Pinault.

Also appearing in the new slate of Black Mirror is Zazie Beetz, Myha'la Herrold, Paapa Essiedu, Michael Cera, Rory Culkin and more.