One of the most recent most enjoyable ways to use generative AI, specifically with image and video generation, is to give ChatGPT context on a particular point in time at a particular place and ask it to create an image that best shows the zeitgeist of that place & time.
An example is ChatGPT prompted with the context of Motkovoto coffee shop in the Etara museum of Bulgaria. This is a replica coffee shop as it may have looked in the late 19th century.
ChatGPT does a great job of detailing some distinct elements of that era:
- notice the dusty wooden floor with wide pieces of wood and perhaps stone
- big fireplace to keep the place warm
- there is no electricity or lights
- ornamental Eastern European rugs and decoration on the wall
- wooden chairs typical for the era (especially the smaller 3 or 4 legged ones)
- sadly the front door / entrance to the coffee shop is not shown, which would have been a nice touch
- the patrons seem representative of the zeitgeist of the late 19th century including their traditional Bulgarian clothing
In our family, we are excited about using generative AI to recreate historic images and use these for education purposes. Critiquing the ability of AI to recreate the era is also very helpful as it engages children’s critical thinking and challenges them to explore what was or wasn’t invented at the given point in time.