I asked ChatGPT to turn me into a Muppet, and it did not disappoint

My pal hopped on the Studio Ghibli bandwagon final week, altering his WhatsApp profile image to his anime likeness. I guess he needs his contacts to assume that he’s being artistic, however I’m satisfied it’s as a result of it’s a extra flattering depiction of him. Nonetheless, I’ve been as impressed as everybody else with this newest ChatGPT evolution and needed to see if it might turn me into a Muppet. It appeared a enjoyable thought, and not like my pal, nobody can accuse me of utilizing a Muppet likeness to make myself look extra interesting.

I tried it out, and as soon as I noticed the outcomes, I knew I had to share them right here.

Why a Muppet?

I can’t fake it’s my lifelong dream to be immortalized as a Muppet — I would have most popular to make a identify taking part in within the FIFA World Cup last. That stated, I love the Muppets as a lot as the subsequent millennial. They have been a mainstay of my childhood, and the vacations aren’t full with out an annual viewing of A Muppet’s Christmas Carol.

However I was extra curious than something. The current viral craze of turning each picture and meme into a Studio Ghibli-style anime cartoon was triggered by Sam Altman’s announcement of the brand new GPT-4o-powered picture technology device. As a lot as I loved the outcomes, they didn’t appear to be an excessive amount of of a problem for the AI. It was creating a pretty true-to-life however easier model of the picture.

A Muppet appears to me that it could be a higher take a look at for the LLM. Not solely are Muppets actual (by which I imply they’ve a bodily presence in the actual world —  I’m not 5 years outdated,) however they’re additionally far more open to interpretation. They’ve exaggerated options, come in numerous colours, and their bodily traits will be outlined by issues like their personalities or jobs. There’s undoubtedly extra scope for interpretation than an anime copy.

I gave the above image of me holding a cute fowl (I’m the one on the left earlier than you ask) to ChatGPT Plus with the straightforward immediate of “Make me a Muppet.” Positive sufficient, the picture within the heart is what it spat out after some processing time, and it’s Muppet Matt.

I was impressed. I imply, I’m fairly an vague Muppet, however then I’m a pretty vague man when it comes to options, so I don’t know why I would count on anything.

You’ll have seen that it doesn’t look fairly proper. Particularly, the hand seems too human, as Muppets have a tendency to solely have 4 fingers on every hand. Not solely does Muppet Matt have 5, however he additionally has fingernails. Maybe disturbed, the fowl has additionally switched path. Nonetheless, not dangerous for a first run.

I gave ChatGPT a probability to rectify this with the immediate, “Are you able to make the arms look extra like Muppet arms?”

This was a little bit of an error on my half. I shouldn’t have pluralized as a result of solely one among my arms is seen within the authentic picture. ChatGPT took this to imply each needs to be seen and gave me a new pose, as proven within the picture on the best above. It was nearer this time, although. The bird-holding hand nonetheless has too many fingers, however they appear extra like Muppet fingers, and the opposite now-visible hand solely has 4.

My subsequent query was a philosophical one. I may now have a Muppet likeness, however is that the definitive Matt Muppet? Are my traits such that no matter picture I use, will I all the time be that individual character? Or, are Muppet alter egos like snowflakes, and no two creations are alike?

To seek out out, I repeated the request for 2 extra photos. The one above is me on a current journey to New York, and it would let me see how ChatGPT did in making a Muppet from a selfie. The one beneath is me driving, with the AI required to produce a Muppet in profile and with arms in use.

It’s actually constant. Muppet Matt’s options don’t appear to change a lot, which incorporates the human-esque fingers. A touch of a smile was detected within the authentic NYC image, main to a broad smile on my puppet counterpart, however the driving focus was carried over to the Muppet within the beneath instance. In case you look intently, you may additionally observe that Muppet Matt drives a lot slower than I do.

What if ChatGPT knew extra about me?

In step with Jim Henson’s imaginative and prescient, I puzzled if ChatGPT would modify my Muppet to replicate features of my character. While you consider traditional Muppets like Oscar the Grouch or Animal, you begin to get a really feel for his or her persona simply by them. I was curious if ChatGPT would try to replicate something about me in my options or apparel.

To do that, I fed the AI a picture of me in entrance of a clean background. I first asked it to make me into a Muppet in the identical manner because the earlier requests, and the middle picture beneath got here out as anticipated. I then gave it the immediate, “How may you modify the picture if the Muppet was a British author with a pleased demeanor?”

ChatGPT didn’t take the bait. I puzzled if it may modify my puppet with some stereotypes, similar to a Union Jack shirt for a Brit or some glasses to signify a author. As an alternative, the best picture reveals it stayed true to Muppet Matt’s options however mirrored his pleased demeanor with a huge grin.

I might discover these puppetish prospects all day, however it’s a little bit of a time-sink. Apart from, I may higher spend my time projecting myself into different childhood TV favorites. I guess I’d look fairly cool as a Transformer or a Ninja Turtle.

Have you ever been as impressed as I have with the brand new GPT-4o picture generator? Drop a vote within the ballot beneath, and be happy to tell us about your personal expertise within the feedback.