AI writes “Contagion” sequel, stuns original screenwriter

“Contagion” screenwriter Scott Z. Burns explores the creative potential and risks of artificial intelligence in a new Audible series that documents his experiment asking AI to write a sequel to his pandemic thriller. The eight-part audio journey, “What Could Go Wrong?”, follows Burns as he interacts with an AI chatbot and consults experts about the implications of machine-generated creative content, raising profound questions about the future of both screenwriting and pandemic preparedness.

The creative experiment: Burns engages with an AI chatbot named Lexter, programmed to mimic a witty former film critic, to explore whether artificial intelligence could generate a worthy sequel to his 2011 hit film.

• The premise was inspired by the renewed popularity “Contagion” experienced during the actual COVID-19 pandemic, creating a meta-narrative that bridges fiction and reality.
• According to Audible, the AI’s response “stuns Burns as a seemingly original idea,” though they’re keeping the specific content under wraps as a key reveal in the series.

Beyond entertainment: The series tackles serious questions about artificial intelligence’s role in creative industries and its broader implications for society.

• Burns consults with entertainment industry peers, epidemiologists, and technology experts to understand the ramifications of AI-generated content.
• The screenwriter notes that the project’s exploration revealed “staggering” implications “both for the health of our industry and for the stakes of the next pandemic.”

The creative journey: The series documents Burns’ evolving relationship with the technology as he confronts philosophical questions about originality and authorship.

• “When I started this project I truly did not know where it would lead… I only knew where I was starting from,” Burns explains, highlighting the experimental nature of his approach.
• The narrative wrestles with a fundamental question: can an AI-generated character have a truly original thought, and what does that mean for human creativity?

Why this matters: As AI tools rapidly advance in sophistication, the entertainment industry faces unprecedented questions about authorship, creativity, and the future of artistic work.

• Burns’ project represents a hands-on exploration by an established Hollywood writer rather than just theoretical discussions about AI’s creative capabilities.
• The series sits at the intersection of two urgent contemporary issues: the transformation of creative work through automation and society’s preparedness for future pandemics.