A discussion of the concepts needed to understand and generate stories using AI, based on the text of a single page of Beatrix Potter's famous children's story.

1. A CASE-STUDY
Malcolm Ryan, Joshua Lobb
& Nicholas Hannah

2. Contents
1. Narrative
Intelligence
2. Aims & Goals
3. Challenge
Problems
4. Three Models
5. The Scenario
6. Conclusions
2

3. Narrative Intelligence
Understanding the
patterns in story.
In order to:
explain
speculate, and
generate.
3

4. Aims & Goals
Not to replace human
authors.
A toolbox for writers.
Lexial not Formalist.
Story before
interactivity.
4

5. Challenge Problems
The danger of
‘AI Arrogance’.
Real examples, real
theory, real results.
Beyond toy problems.
5

6. Three Models
Action
– Physical
Character
– Psychological
Plot
– Dramatic
6

7. Scenario
‘Now my dears,’ said
old Mrs. Rabbit one
morning, ‘you may
go into the fields
or down the lane,
but don’t go into
Mr. McGregor’s
garden: your
Father had an
accident there; he
was put in a pie by
Mrs. McGregor.’
7

8. Action
Communication
- Interdiction
- Explanation
- Story-within-story
Accidents
Anthropomorphisation
8

9. Character
Reasoning about beliefs
and desires.
Relationship roles
Meta-reasoning
Analogy
9

10. Plot
Propp’s functions:
- Interdiction
- Absentation
- Violation
10

11. Plot
Generic roles
- Hero
- Mentor
- Villain
11

12. Plot
Implied narrative
The way it might
have gone.
Reasoning about the
reader.
12

13. Conclusion
This is not going to be
easy.
BUT
There are many
interesting problems.
13

14. THE END
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