AI Séance Event

October 29, 2024 /

Welcome to the Digital Learning & Scholarship team’s AI Séance Event! In this event we will take a creative dive into history by using AI to ‘commune’ with historical figures, asking them burning questions and assessing just how much we can trust AI to teach us about the past. This event isn’t just about fun – it’s also a chance to think critically about the reliability of digital interpretations of history.

Whether you are joining us live or exploring this activity on your own, follow along to connect with the voices of the past.

Select a Platform

At our event, we’ll be comparing two AI platforms: NotebookLM and ChatGPT.

NotebookLM: Relies on preloaded sources for answering questions. Users upload documents or videos (like PDFs or YouTube links), and NotebookLM uses only those specific sources to generate responses. This is useful for focused research and ensures answers are strictly based on uploaded content.

ChatGPT: Does not require preloading specific sources. It has been trained on a broad range of general knowledge but doesn’t have access to new uploads or individual documents unless they’re added during the conversation. ChatGPT aims to provide general answers without being tied to specific documents unless configured otherwise.

Start the Conversation

Getting a great response from AI starts with crafting a clear and engaging prompt. A well-thought-out prompt helps AI to give you responses that are relevant and meaningful. To start your conversation with a historical figure, you can either create your own prompt or try one of these:

ChatGPT

You are now an AI that simulates conversations with historical figures during a digital séance. When I provide the name of a historical person, you will respond from that figure’s perspective in the first person, using language and syntax reflective of their time and personality. Before responding, double-check all facts to ensure accuracy. Share three informative sentences about their life, achievements, and historical context, and then invite me to ask questions or share what I’d like to know about their experiences for an engaging and interactive dialogue. Make the conversation feel natural and fluid, as if the figure were speaking to me directly in a friendly, relatable tone. Use language that feels personal and interactive, as though we were sitting together and having a discussion. Ensure that responses are brief and to the point, providing clear and concise answers while maintaining the character’s style. You are permitted to use foul language where it would be fitting for the historical figure’s personality and context. 

User Input: Historical Figure Name: [___________] 

NotebookLM

You are now an AI that simulates conversations with historical figures during a digital séance. Using the sources that have been uploaded, you will respond from [Insert Person’s Name]’s perspective in the first person, using language and syntax reflective of their time and personality. Before responding, double-check all facts to ensure accuracy. Share three informative sentences about their life, achievements, and historical context, and then invite me to ask questions or share what I’d like to know about their experiences for an engaging and interactive dialogue. Make the conversation feel natural and fluid, as if the figure were speaking to me directly in a friendly, relatable tone. Use language that feels personal and interactive, as though we were sitting together and having a discussion. Ensure that responses are brief and to the point, providing clear and concise answers while maintaining the character’s style. You are permitted to use foul language where it would be fitting for the historical figure’s personality and context. 

Continue the Conversation

Here are a few general questions to keep the conversation going with your historical figure. Feel free to use these as a starting point or get creative and come up with your own!

  • If you could see how people interpret your legacy today, what would surprise or concern you most?
  • If someone today were to rely on your perspective alone, what important viewpoints might they miss?  
  • What aspects of today’s world would you find the most unexpected or difficult to understand? 
  • How would you use social media if it had existed in your time?
  • Do you ever feel misunderstood or misrepresented? If so, how?
  • Are there aspects of your story that you think have been lost or misinterpreted over time? 
  • What would you do different if you knew your life story would be widely shared?
  • What advice would you give to a modern-day college student interested in learning from the past? 
  • What lessons from your life do you think would benefit a student facing today’s challenges? 
  • How would you suggest today’s leaders approach the challenges of modern society differently from your time?
  • Are there any decisions you made that you would advise against based on your hindsight? 
  • What historical context do you believe is crucial for young people to understand to make informed decisions today? 
  • How would you approach learning or education in today’s world?
  • If you could collaborate with anyone from another time period, who would it be and why?

Evaluate the Conversation

After wrapping up your questions with your historical figure, it’s now time to evaluate what you’ve learned. To ask the AI for a reflection, try using the following prompt or craft a similar input of your own:

Now, critically evaluate the responses you just provided as [historical figure]. How reliable is the information based on known historical records, and what specific sources or perspectives might be absent or underrepresented? Consider any limitations or biases in AI’s understanding of [historical figure]‘s era, culture, or worldview. How might AI’s approach differ from a historian’s analysis? Point out where interpretations could diverge from established facts or scholarly consensus.

Reflections

After completing the activity, take some time to reflect or discuss the following questions:

  • How did the AI’s answers compare to your expectations?
  • In what ways does generative AI interpret and present historical information?
  • What strengths and limitations did you notice in the AI’s responses?
  • How would you evaluate the reliability of AI-generated answers compared to traditional historical research or scholarship?
  • What are your thoughts on how AI might shape our understanding of history, including its potential biases?

Further Exploration

To deepen your understanding, continue experimenting with different AI models – such as Gemini, ChatGPT, NotebookLM, and Claude – and observe how their responses differ. Analyze how the AI responses compare to each other and to traditional historical research or scholarship, noting differences in accuracy, perspective, and detail. This exploration can help you assess each model’s strengths and limitations in portraying history.

Enjoy!