‘Somebody may call the police’: Chinese Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan turns to ChatGPT to beat writer’s block
- Literary giant known for Red Sorghum reveals AI chatbot helped him craft speech for fellow author Yu Hua, but he stresses his novels are his own work
- The admission sparks discussion on social media, with many praising him for being open-minded about tech tools and others warning him to get a lawyer
Mo was set to present Yu with a book award at the Shanghai Dance Centre during the 65th anniversary celebration of Shouhuo, a magazine that has played a significant role in shaping the landscape of Chinese literature.
The air was thick with anticipation as the two literary luminaries, both friends and rivals, took the stage.
“The person who is receiving this award is truly remarkable and, of course, he is also my good friend. He is extraordinary, so I must be too,” said Mo, who is known for novels such as Red Sorghum, The Garlic Ballads and The Republic of Wine.
“A few days ago, I was supposed to write a commendation for him as per tradition, but I struggled for several days and couldn’t come up with anything. So I asked a doctoral student to help me by using ChatGPT.”
There was an audible gasp from the audience when the Nobel Prize winner, known for his vivid depictions of rural life in China, admitted his praise for Yu had been crafted with the help of the AI chatbot.
