{"id":241,"date":"2026-02-10T21:47:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T21:47:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/?p=241"},"modified":"2026-03-26T19:00:50","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T19:00:50","slug":"week-4-feb-02-2026-feb-062026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/week-4-feb-02-2026-feb-062026\/","title":{"rendered":"Week 4 (Feb. 02, 2026 &#8211; Feb. 06,2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"241\" class=\"elementor elementor-241\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9942803 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"9942803\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-50782e6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"50782e6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Week4.png\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Google DeepMind AI Presentation Slide 1\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MjQyLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcHJvamVjdHMuZXRjLmNtdS5lZHVcL2FjdC12aVwvd3AtY29udGVudFwvdXBsb2Fkc1wvMjAyNlwvMDJcL1dlZWs0LnBuZyJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"539\" src=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Week4-1024x539.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-242\" alt=\"PresentationSlide1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Week4-1024x539.png 1024w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Week4-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Week4-768x404.png 768w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Week4-570x300.png 570w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Week4.png 1449w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Title Slide from the presentation prepared for Google DeepMind and veteran improvisors<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-81cce86 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"81cce86\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-84a8b08 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"84a8b08\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span style=\"font-size: 32.96px\">Leaning Into The Surreal<\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aa52a53 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"aa52a53\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-800ff57 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"800ff57\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>At the start of week four, we were excited to share a new narrative direction with our instructors. Our concept centered on a performer waiting at a bus stop beside a stuffed goose. The two engage in a conversation about waiting for a phone call, with the goose\u2019s responses generated by a uniquely constrained AI.<\/p>\n<p>At this stage, our primary interest was exploring what kinds of constraints can be reliably applied to an AI system\u2014specifically ChatGPT Voice mode\u2014while still maintaining flexibility and functionality. Our early tests led us to question:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How personality can be effectively embedded into an AI<\/li>\n<li>Whether the AI should be aware that it is participating in a performance<\/li>\n<li>Which types of prompts and constraints lead to compelling human\u2013machine interactions for an audience<\/li>\n<li>What tools or platforms we might be overlooking that are better suited to integrating AI into live theatre and improvisation without it feeling like a gimmick<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>After discussing our initial narrative with our instructors, we were encouraged to lean into ambiguity rather than resolve it too quickly. We were also prompted to consider questions such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Could the goose have a distinct personality?<\/li>\n<li>Would assigning gender change the interaction?<\/li>\n<li>What assumptions do audiences bring regarding age or gender?<\/li>\n<li>Does the bus stop remain the setting, or does the waiting move somewhere else\u2014perhaps a more abstract or unexpected location?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Later in the week, we successfully implemented our API integration. However, a major challenge emerged: session-level instructions were not behaving as expected. To continue testing, we conducted playtests using OpenAI\u2019s Realtime Voice Playground as well as our standalone WebRTC implementation without the intended constraints. In parallel, we began compiling an initial set of prompts aimed at shaping the AI\u2019s personality more consistently.<\/p>\n<p>We produced an early version of our poster and updated the project website. Finally, We also developed a revised workflow for our API-based approach. While RVC was not implemented at this stage, it was discussed as a potential tool for future prototyping.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-493b9ca e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"493b9ca\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0a35b32 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0a35b32\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/realtime_voice_workflow.png\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"realtime_voice_workflow\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MjUwLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcHJvamVjdHMuZXRjLmNtdS5lZHVcL2FjdC12aVwvd3AtY29udGVudFwvdXBsb2Fkc1wvMjAyNlwvMDJcL3JlYWx0aW1lX3ZvaWNlX3dvcmtmbG93LnBuZyJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"321\" height=\"625\" src=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/realtime_voice_workflow.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-250\" alt=\"Revised Version of the Real-Time Voice Workflow\" srcset=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/realtime_voice_workflow.png 321w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/realtime_voice_workflow-154x300.png 154w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 321px) 100vw, 321px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Revised Version of the Real-Time Voice Workflow<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d789ffc e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d789ffc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-45fc740 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"45fc740\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We concluded week four with excitement around sharing our progress with Mo and Breanda, meeting with Korry and Mirowski\u2014two individuals from Google DeepMind and veteran improvisors\u2014to gain their insights on our project, and continuing to troubleshoot why the API was not consistently reading session instructions. Alongside this, we tested a range of prompts using OpenAI and explored other potential AI platforms.<\/p>\n<p>With those conversations, experiments, and open questions in motion, week four came to an end.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ee0be53 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ee0be53\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-683ae75 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"683ae75\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image.png\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Aidan Terry playtesting with the OpenAI API.\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MjUzLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcHJvamVjdHMuZXRjLmNtdS5lZHVcL2FjdC12aVwvd3AtY29udGVudFwvdXBsb2Fkc1wvMjAyNlwvMDJcL2ltYWdlLnBuZyJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"798\" src=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-1024x798.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-253\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-1024x798.png 1024w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-300x234.png 300w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-768x599.png 768w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-385x300.png 385w, https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image.png 1425w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Aidan Terry playtesting with the OpenAI API.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b001b14 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b001b14\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d57e010 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d57e010\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h6>Link to materials prepared and media captured during the week<\/h6><h6><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1yi3TySibXmD5rvvQTaNNzzjRiigJZq4L\/edit?usp=sharing&amp;ouid=114698897285909967772&amp;rtpof=true&amp;sd=true\" style=\"font-family: &quot;Special Elite&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; text-align: center; text-indent: 0em;\">Instructor meeting notes<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/presentation\/d\/1MOyB-aYm_lCm13BZpWfKvyhwerb3LgLK\/edit?usp=drive_link&amp;ouid=114698897285909967772&amp;rtpof=true&amp;sd=true\" style=\"font-family: &quot;Special Elite&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;\">Presentation for Google DeepMind AI and Veteran Improvisors<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/presentation\/d\/1jIkVDU3T41rSb55-xvlGyQ_UlYaNbWGS\/edit?usp=drive_link&amp;ouid=114698897285909967772&amp;rtpof=true&amp;sd=true\" style=\"font-family: &quot;Special Elite&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;\">ACT VI DESIGN CONCEPTS \u2013 2ND MEETING<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Title Slide from the presentation prepared for Google DeepMind and veteran improvisors Leaning Into The Surreal At the start of week four, we were excited &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":242,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=241"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":627,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241\/revisions\/627"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.etc.cmu.edu\/act-vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}