How We're Using ChatGPT to Bring Poetry Closer to Everyone
At the start of 2023, we began experimenting with ChatGPT and generative AI. During an AI hackathon at our studio, we built a prototype that could analyze a photo and generate a personalized poem based on what it saw. The result was magical — and Poem Booth was born.
The idea was simple but powerful: what if AI could make poetry personal and accessible? Instead of poetry being something distant and academic, it could become an instant, emotional experience that anyone could have.
We quickly developed the prototype further and got the chance to demo it at Expeditie Next, a children's science festival organized by NEMO Science Museum. Kids and parents alike were captivated by seeing their photo transformed into a unique poem within seconds.
The development was done in collaboration with Hugo Visser of Little Robots, who helped build the technical backbone. We also brought in Maarten Inghels, the former city poet of Antwerp, to help refine the poetic voice and style of the AI.
We see two exciting development paths ahead:
- Public spaces — bringing Poem Booth to events, festivals, museums, and corporate gatherings where it creates a unique interactive experience.
- Children and education — using the magic of AI-generated poetry to spark creativity and a love of language in young people.
This is just the beginning of our journey to bring poetry closer to everyone through the power of generative AI.