EXCLUSIVE | 'Artificial: Remote Intelligence': Tiffany Chu reveals she learned about AI along with Twitch audience
'Artificial: Remote Intelligence' is about to enter into its third season, introducing a new AI to the world. The show is starting with a blank slate, after the previously featured AI - Sophie, played by Tiffany Chu - made the decision to commit murder, prompting her deactivation. In an exclusive interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), Tiffany talks about the new season, the changes it brings and the challenges of working with a story that is, in part, developed live by its audience.
Tiffany talked a little about the new AI that the world is about to be introduced to. "Sophie or Sophie Version Three is going to have to re-adapt to some things, and obviously through the twitch audience, wherever her journey is going on this particular season," she said. "I think she's going to be slightly different, but I think that's something that through the audience's interaction...we'll discover together."
She spoke about the dramatic end to Season 2, where the audience agreed with Sophie that the AI should be deactivated for committing murder, saying that the decision was "really interesting," and that, "it reflects where they stand and how they see what is happening." Speaking of the audience, she spoke about what she expects audiences to be looking for in the upcoming season. "I think considering what's going on right now - it's quarantine and a lot of people might be staying at home. I think everybody is trying to look for something even more interactive, which I know Bernie has probably brought up when using the LifeScore this season and maybe something else that's even more interesting so people would be more involved."
She also talked about what it is like to share the 'Artificial' experience with the audience. Talking about whether or not her performance affects how the audience votes, she says, "I actually think it's the other way around because it's actually based on the audience's voting that influences my performance, and then that in turn will probably change the way that the audience perceives the story, me, and how they want to choose during the voting sessions."
She also touched upon what it's like to shoot a series with such a unique format. "Obviously we prepare, but I think it's really exciting for me as an actress because I don't really know where the story is going," she said. "In a sense, I'm also going on the same journey that the audience is going through because after they vote, whatever decision or whatever the voting is, that I'm also experiencing that for the first time live with them is really fun."
The scripting for the show is definitely its own challenge. When asked about what we might expect for the season ahead, she said, "I've only received Episode One and because of the way our show is...our writers write the next episode based on our [live episodes], which is going to happen this week. So even I don't know yet."
She continued, talking about how the live episode or "lives" works. "While we're doing our lives, we have clips that we refer to, so those are things that we've recorded previously," she said, "but during the lives, we'll have different options based on what the audience is voting on, and then we rehearse those, and then in real time, as the audience is voting, that's when we, as actors we find out, 'Oh, okay, the audience is voting this, so we're gonna use Script One instead of Script Two.'"
Tiffany also dove a little deeper into what made Sophie tick and how audiences can expect the new AI to be learning. "I think, what I was putting into the past two seasons, how Matt's creations do, how I kinda do what Sophie was learning and her process - is basically the fact that she's able to literally learn due to the Twitch audience," she said. "Basically it's like having a blank slate, and learning through its audience, and learning through her interactions - based on the experiences that she has the AI then processes those learning problems, and then continues to base whatever her current situation is, based on what her previous experience was - whether it's Matt, whether it's someone else she interacts with, or you know, with the Twitch audience."
Tiffany has also been working on a project called 'Catch the Fair One,' whose production was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. The new AI will debut on Twitch.tv/ArtificialNext on June 12, at 6 pm PT.