MidReal Launches Generative AI Storytelling Platform
MidReal has officially unveiled its flagship "choose your own adventure" storytelling platform, powered by the cutting-edge Morpheus-1 model. This innovative tool empowers players to create dynamic stories that evolve based on their decisions. By shifting control from passive consumption to active participation, MidReal engages gamers, readers, and movie enthusiasts in shaping their narratives.
Founded in October 2023, MidReal leverages expertise from researchers at MIT, Cornell, and Duke. Based in San Francisco, the company comprises seven full-time and five part-time employees dedicated to exploring the possibilities of interactive storytelling.
In addition to story generation, MidReal offers features to enhance immersion, including AI-generated illustrations with consistent characters and the ability to remix existing stories.
“In the realm of AI-driven storytelling, readability and believability are crucial. Our goal was to equip creatives with the most advanced tools, leading to the creation of MidReal and the Morpheus-1 AI model,” said Kaijie Chen, cofounder and CEO of MidReal. “With today’s launch, we eagerly anticipate the countless stories waiting to be told.”
Academic Excellence Behind MidReal
What sets MidReal apart from other generative AI storytelling tools is its proprietary technology focused on improving narrative outputs.
“We post-trained large language models, transforming them from chat-based structures to story completion agents that prioritize narrative coherence and engagement,” Chen explained. “Inspired by Shunyu Yao’s Tree of Thoughts framework, we likened story writing to constructing a problem-solving tree. The user’s input is the root, while potential plot developments serve as the branches leading to various outcomes.”
Morpheus-1: A Cutting-Edge Engine
Morpheus-1 is a practical implementation based on a 2023 research paper proposing a post-training framework for developing LLM-based agents. Key collaborators include Princeton’s Karthik Narasimhan, one of the original authors of the GPT study, Shunyu Yao, and Andrew Chen, MidReal’s cofounder and CTO.
Rigorous Testing of Morpheus-1
Staying true to its academic foundations, the MidReal team tested Morpheus-1 against competitors in a double-blind study involving 900 story pairs. American readers assessed these stories across five criteria: interestingness, coherence, relevance, emotional impact, and language style.
Morpheus-1 surpassed both GPT-4 and other leading storytelling models, with readers preferring MidReal’s output 85% of the time over GPT-4 and 75% compared to other storytelling products.
“Our model excels in ‘Interestingness’ and ‘Emotional Impact,’ which are critical for today’s AI storytelling,” Chen noted. “While tools like ChatGPT can generate stories, they often lack the compelling elements needed to captivate audiences. Therefore, we prioritize optimizing interestingness in our model.”
Looking Ahead
With its launch now underway, MidReal is set for expansion.
“We’re developing capabilities for photo-based fantasy diary composition and interactive video experiences. We aim to release an app and introduce a new ‘SERVER’ feature,” Chen shared. “Imagine joining a Discord server where AI agents converse like friends, generating stories akin to social media posts and YouTube Shorts. You can also invite real friends to participate, creating an immersive environment for shared storytelling experiences.”
Having previously secured funding, MidReal is contemplating another investment round in the near future.
Experience the future of storytelling with MidReal today.