A Fun Halloween Contest for Building AI Literacy in the Office 

Learning how to use AI doesn't have to be scary

Posted on November 4, 2024 in Blog Posts

We have a confession to make. While on LibTech Insights, we pride ourselves on not only staying abreast of AI advancements but also contributing to these conversations, whether through FAQs, webinars, or even a white paper. But in the Choice offices, well, not everyone is so interested in generative AI. Some have played around with it, and a few may use it for specific tasks. But by no means have we fully embraced AI as a tool, collaborator, and friend.

So for our Halloween party this year, Choice’s Director of Information and Production Services, Lisa Gross, came up with a creative writing contest. The catch? Everyone had to use generative AI to come up with their entries. Some might resist experimenting with AI because they can’t find a need for it in their day-to-day job responsibilities and therefore miss out on the opportunities to learn about it. We hoped that having a reason to experiment with AI, particularly in a creative and playful way, would give our staff a starting point for using the tool.

If we want to be formal about it, the learning outcomes for this contest were: 

• Become acquainted with different free generative AI models 

• Create a prompt that achieves a specific purpose 

• Refine the prompt to generate better results 

What on the surface appeared to be a fun office contest was a good learning opportunity for all participants. Below are the instructions and the winning entry, submitted by Choice’s Editorial Director, Bill Mickey. We hope you can adapt this exercise to your offices, whether for an upcoming holiday or as a way of alleviating late-semester stress.

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Instructions: AI Writing Contest 

As part of our Halloween celebrations, we are holding a creative writing contest. The catch is that you have to use an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to come up with your creations! Submissions can take any written form (poems, short stories, movie scripts), but must be under 500 words. Deadline: XXXXXX. 

Free AI chatbots 

The following AI chatbots are free to use and some of the most popular ones on the market. While some AI tools are more specialized than others, the three listed below all operate in generally the same way and are easy to use and good for most non-specialized applications. But note that each one will give you different responses to your prompts, so feel free to test out multiple as you craft your masterpiece. 

• ChatGPT (no sign-up required) 

• Google Gemini (must log in with Google/Gmail account) 

• Microsoft Copilot (no sign-up required) 

Your non-spooky guide to prompting AI 

AI chatbots rely on the “prompts” you enter into them to write their responses, so it’s important to come up with good prompts. The more specific, the better! For instance, consider telling the chatbot the characters, the setting, and the tone you want it to use. You should also tell it what form the output should take (e.g., a short story, a limerick, a Taylor Swift song, etc.). 

Bad prompt: 

Write a Halloween story. 

Better prompt: 

Write a 500-word short story about a compassionate, brave, and well-adjusted man named Daniel as he explores a vampire’s castle with his talking cat to find a golden pumpkin. The story should have spooky elements, but a comic tone and lots of puns. 

Don’t like what you get back? Reply to the chatbot with your feedback: 

• Come up with a different ending 

• Use fewer puns 

• Make Daniel more likable 

• Include a Jedi fight scene 

• Have the cat talk like a pirate 

The chatbot will rewrite its response based on your guidance. Continue to give feedback to the chatbot until your masterpiece is finished. In short, don’t be afraid to play around! 

Our office’s winning entry 

ChatGPT prompt: Write a 500-word spooky Halloween story in the style of Edgar Allen Poe with the following elements 

• a black cat is the main character 

• the black cat speaks using gen z slang 

• the cat must go on a quest to find a way to defeat a scourge of dog zombies that like to feast on cat brains 

• the cat has a raven for a sidekick that only speaks in French  

• the cat doesn’t understand French 

• on their quest they meet a witch who invents a milkshake potion to cure the dogs 

• the witch lives in a ginger bread house 

• the witch unsuccessfully tries to hide Hansel and Gretel who keep trying to invite themselves on the quest 

• Dracula appears to join them on their quest 

• Dracula drinks his blood from an oversized Stanley bottle 

Generated by Bill Mickey

In the pallid glow of a crescent moon, the night whispered secrets only the shadows could understand. It was on this dread-filled eve that a sleek, obsidian feline named Nox prowled the cobbled streets, his emerald eyes shimmering with mischief and wisdom. “Yo, fam,” he meowed. “This dog zombie horde is totally sus, and we gotta dip before they turn my brain into a snack.” 

Nox was not alone. A raven, as dark as a coal mine and equally cryptic, flitted beside him. The creature cawed, “Qu’est-ce que c’est, mon ami?” But Nox could only blink, perplexed. “Dude, I literally don’t speak French. Can you, like, use English or something?” The raven cawed again, this time with a hint of annoyance, flapping its wings dramatically. 

The duo set off towards the forest where the undead canines roamed, their gnashing teeth echoing in the night. As they traversed the gnarled path, a peculiar gingerbread house materialized from the mist, its candy-coated shingles glimmering with an eerie allure. “Bet,” Nox smirked, “that’s got to be the witch’s crib.” 

The witch, a wraith-like figure draped in a cloak of shadows, emerged. “Welcome, brave souls!” she crooned, her voice like silk wrapped around daggers. “I’ve concocted a potion to restore the dogs to their former selves—a milkshake potion, if you will! But first, I must hide Hansel and Gretel.” 

From within the house, Hansel and Gretel peered out, wide-eyed and hopeful. “Can we come? We love quests!” they shouted in unison, bouncing with excitement. 

“Stay here!” the witch scolded, her hands flailing in frustration. But the children only giggled, their eyes glinting with the allure of adventure. Nox rolled his eyes. “This is so cringe. Can’t they just chill for once?” 

As they prepared to leave, the shadows thickened, and a figure cloaked in dark elegance emerged from the depths. It was none other than Dracula himself, who carried an oversized Stanley bottle, the blood within sloshing like fine wine. “Do you know the muffin man?” he boomed. 

“The muffin man?” the witch replied, confusion furrowing her brow. 

“The MUFFIN MAN!” Dracula declared, his voice echoing through the air. 

“Uh, okay then,” Nox said, tail flicking in amusement. “Let’s keep moving, folks.” 

With Dracula in tow, the motley crew ventured forth into the heart of the forest. The moon hung high, a ghostly eye watching their every move as they encountered the first wave of the dog zombies. Their decayed forms stumbled forward, eyes glazed with a mindless hunger. 

“Time to get this bread, or rather, milkshake!” Nox declared, dodging a ravenous pup. The witch waved her hands, chanting spells as a cascade of sugary brilliance enveloped the undead canines. “Come to me!” she urged, her magic swirling around them like cotton candy. 

The potion took effect, transforming the dogs back into their living selves, albeit with an insatiable craving for treats rather than brains. Nox smirked at the witch. “Bet they’re just gonna hit up a bakery now.” 

With a sigh of relief, the witch tossed a handful of sweets to Hansel and Gretel. “Perhaps next time, I’ll keep my house to myself,” she muttered, eyeing them with exasperation. 

As the night deepened and the last echoes of the undead faded, Nox, his raven companion still fluttering, smiled at the chaos they’d overcome. “This was totally a banger quest!” he said, tail flicking in satisfaction. Dracula took a sip from his Stanley, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “Indeed, my young friend. The night is always darkest before the dawn.” 

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