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There’s a way to diffuse some anxiety about artificial superintelligence taking over and the world ending Black Mirror style.

Each month since January 2020, WIRED has been running a fun little social media competition for anyone with a few sci-fi words running through their heads.

They give a prompt, and then those willing write a six-word sci-fi story that fits into the prompt.

For example, this month’s prompt is “in six words, write a story about a casual encounter with aliens.”

Stories can then be submitted via Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or emailed directly to WIRED.

They then choose one winner each month.

For those keen to enter, but in need of a little inspiration, here’s a look at the six prompts from this year so far, with a few submissions for each and illustrated stories included.

June – A Story About an International Digital Heist:

THE WINNER: There was nothing left, only zeroes. —@jamesnsmith, via Twitter

Honourable Mentions:

“Hand it over,” the ATM said. —Lauren Dolan, via email

Use his eyeball while there’s time. —Noreen Anastasia, via Facebook

Every cat photo gone. Police baffled. —@john.cartan, via Instagram

“Update Later” was the incorrect choice. —@terryfphotos, via Instagram

May – A Story About a Freaky Discovery in Physics:

THE WINNER: Gravity was a consensual, shared illusion. —Mark Crane, via Facebook

Honourable Mentions:

Schrodinger’s cat is actually a dog. —@tynanwrites, via Twitter

Actually, the tides pull the moon. —@the4lw, via Instagram

Faster than light announcement scheduled yesterday. —David Cinabro, via email

You’re the observed. Not the observer. —@parkerstmailbox, via Instagram

April – A Review of a Future Work of Art:

THE WINNER: It ticked all of my senses. —Jacky Reif, via Facebook

Honourable Mentions:

So that’s an AI self portrait? —Jason Cohen, via Facebook

Not as good as Banksy’s virus. —Simon O Wright, via Facebook

Brave to show an unfiltered canvas. —@Alcestronaut, via Twitter

Shame mortals will not appreciate it. —@asylbek0205, via Instagram

March – A Story About a Tech-Centric Religion:

THE WINNER: In the beginning was the “www”… —Eduardo Bolívar, via Facebook

Honourable Mentions:

I swiped right and found salvation. —Conrad Dean, via Facebook

Atop the hill, sayeth he, “reception”? —@dghutt, via Twitter

Always back up to be saved. —Tadeusz Walter Misztela, via Facebook

“Worship the Apple.” —iBook of Jobs —ThoreauRug, via email

February – A Story About a WFH Office Scandal:

THE WINNER: They were in the same room. —@abhignak, via Instagram

Honourable Mentions:

He certainly shouldn’t have stood up. —Małgorzata Kuś, via Facebook

As everyone’s computer froze, she laughed. —@mcgroup53, via Twitter

Wife realized my job is easy. —@jchavizzle, via Twitter

Dress code updated after yesterday’s “incident.” @mistermistermistertibbs, via Instagram

January – A Story About a Future American President:

THE WINNER: An alien. We should have known. —Maayan Brodsky, via Facebook

Honourable Mentions:

He died as he lived: online. —D.A. Smith, via email

“Introducing your next president: version 7!” —Ben N, via email

But it won the electoral hackathon! —Zacharie Barrou Dumont, via email

“Welcome to Earth,” said the President. —@michaelrowley, via Instagram

I love all the freaky fun that everyone’s having with this idea.

For more six-word sci-fi stories dating all the way back to January 2020, check out Wired.

And then, go ahead and submit your own. Why not?

[source:wired]