What happens when a master of absurd storytelling meets a chatbot trained to mimic human creativity? Bestselling children’s author Andy Stanton takes a wild dive into the world of artificial intelligence in this hilarious and thought-provoking talk based on his first book for adults, Benny the Blue Whale.
With his penchant for absurdism, bizarro characters and outrageous wordplay, bestselling children’s author Andy Stanton’s writing is anything but formulaic. So when a friend introduced him to ChatGPT at the end of 2023, he was as sceptical as he was curious…what ensued was a chaotic, frequently obscene and always illuminating battle between man and machine. It’s surprisingly deep exploration of what it means to be a writer in the age of AI, threw up all sorts of questions about authorship, the creative process and how AI can ape or augment that process. Part shaggy whale story, part lit crit, part creative writing guide, part nervous breakdown, this is tech reportage from the edge of insanity – and definitely not for kids!
Andy Stanton is best known for his bestselling Mr Gum children’s books, which have been published in over thirty-five languages worldwide as well as being adapted for a National Theatre production in 2019. Additionally, he has written picture books including Danny McGee Drinks the Sea and Going To The Volcano. His children’s books have received two Blue Peter Book Awards, the Red House Children’s Book Award, and the inaugural Roald Dahl Funny Prize.
Andy’s first title for adults, Benny the Blue Whale: One Author’s Descent into the Madness of AI was published by Oneworld in 2023. Andy lives in north London, where he continues to write, draw and think about what ChatGPT has done to his sanity.
This event is for Adults only.
This event is presented as part of the Chelmsford Science Festival
[DR 27.08.25]
