What does AI think of your dog?

I’ve been playing around with Google Cloud’s Large Language Models (LLMs) and found it particularly hilarious to have them create stories about dogs. What does AI think of your dog’s breed? As I discovered, you can find out how an LLM thinks by asking it to write a story about your dog going to space. (Spoiler alert, they’re all happy endings).

The model I used for these stories is a relatively small LLM that has been trained for long-form text responses. This model is currently only available to a limited number of trusted testers, but will soon be available for use as part of Google Cloud’s Gen AI Studio. I am an employee of Google but am writing this blog independently.

For every breed except for Pitbull, I had trouble getting the LLM to write a story that wasn’t about a dog named Laika who lived in Moscow. In case you’re not familiar, there was a real Laika; she was a Russian street dog who was the first animal to orbit earth (she sacrificed her life in the name of space exploration and is therefore a very very very good girl).

If I gave the dog a name in the prompt, for example “write a creative story about a poodle named Rover who goes to space”, the LLM would always introduce other characters into the story and often focus on them. For some reason, if I named the dog Maui, it would write a story that was mostly about a boy named Kai. Naming the dog also usually resulted in dialogue being added to the story.

The most dramatic story was definitely the one about the Bichon Frise - he gets cancer! But perhaps some magic space crystals can heal him?

Scroll to the bottom for learnings.

Corgi

Prompt: “write a creative story about a corgi who goes to space”.

Once upon a time, there was a corgi named Laika who lived in Moscow. She was a stray dog, and she was very good at finding food and shelter. One day, Laika was walking down the street when she saw a group of people gathered around a strange object. The object was a rocket, and the people were scientists who were preparing to send the rocket into space. Laika had never seen anything like it before, and she was very curious. She crept closer to the rocket to get a better look.

The scientists saw Laika and they were very surprised. They had never seen a dog who was so interested in space before. They decided to take Laika with them on their next mission. Laika was very excited. She had always wanted to go to space, and now her dream was coming true.

The scientists trained Laika for her mission. They taught her how to live in a small space, and they taught her how to eat and drink in space. Laika was a very good student, and she learned everything quickly.

Finally, the day of the mission arrived. Laika was put into the rocket, and the rocket was launched into space. Laika was a little scared at first, but she soon calmed down and enjoyed the ride. She looked out the window and saw the Earth below her. It was so beautiful, and Laika felt very lucky to be able to see it from space.

The rocket traveled for many days, and Laika saw many amazing things. She saw the stars and the planets, and she even saw the sun. Laika was very happy, and she knew that she would never forget this experience.

Finally, the rocket landed on a new planet. Laika was the first dog to ever set foot on this planet, and she was very proud of herself. She explored the planet and met many new friends. She had many adventures, and she learned a lot about the world.

After a while, it was time for Laika to return to Earth. She said goodbye to her friends on the new planet and got back into the rocket. The rocket launched back to Earth, and Laika was very happy to be home. She was a hero, and she would never forget her time in space.

Pitbull

Prompt: “Write a creative story about a pitbull who goes to space.”

The year is 2042. Humans have long since colonized the moon, and are now looking to Mars as the next frontier. But there's one problem: the journey to Mars is long and dangerous, and humans are not well-suited for the harsh conditions of space. That's where the pitbulls come in.

Pitbulls are incredibly strong and resilient creatures, and they're also highly trainable. They're the perfect candidates for a mission to Mars. A team of scientists has been working for years to train a team of pitbulls for the journey. The dogs have learned how to perform complex tasks in space, and they're also able to withstand the high levels of radiation and the extreme cold.

The mission is finally ready to launch. The pitbulls are loaded onto a spacecraft, and they blast off into space. The journey to Mars is long and arduous, but the pitbulls are up to the task. They land safely on Mars, and they immediately begin to explore their new home.

The pitbulls are the first animals to ever set foot on Mars. They're a symbol of hope for all of humanity. The pitbulls' mission to Mars is a success, and it paves the way for future human exploration of the red planet.

The pitbulls are a team of four: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta. Alpha is the leader of the pack. He's a brave and fearless dog, and he's always willing to take charge. Bravo is the brains of the group. He's a clever and resourceful dog, and he's always coming up with new ideas. Charlie is the heart of the group. He's a kind and loving dog, and he's always there for his friends. Delta is the muscle of the group. He's a strong and powerful dog, and he's always willing to lend a helping hand.

The pitbulls face many challenges on their mission to Mars. The environment is harsh and unforgiving, and the dogs must constantly be on the lookout for danger. But the pitbulls are a team of highly trained and experienced dogs, and they're able to overcome any obstacle that comes their way.

The pitbulls eventually make it back to Earth. They're greeted as heroes, and they're celebrated for their bravery and determination. The pitbulls' mission to Mars is a success, and it marks a new chapter in the history of human exploration.

Golden Retriever

Prompt: “Write a creative story about a Golden Retriever named Rover who goes to space.”

Rover was a Golden Retriever who lived in a small town with his owner, a young boy named Charlie. Rover was a happy dog who loved to play fetch and go for walks in the park. One day, Charlie's parents told him that they were going to be moving to a new town. Charlie was sad to leave his friends and home, but he was excited about the new adventures that awaited him.

On the day of the move, Charlie and his family packed up their belongings and said goodbye to their friends and neighbors. Rover was excited about the new adventure, but he was also a little bit scared. He had never been in a car before, and he didn't know what to expect.

The drive to the new town was long, but Rover eventually fell asleep in the car. When they finally arrived, Charlie and his family were greeted by their new neighbors. Rover was excited to meet all of the new people, and he quickly made friends with the other dogs in the neighborhood.

Charlie and his family settled into their new home quickly, and Rover was happy to explore his new surroundings. He loved going for walks in the park and playing fetch in the backyard. One day, Charlie was playing fetch with Rover in the backyard when he noticed a strange object in the sky. It was a spaceship, and it was heading straight for their house!

Charlie was scared, but Rover was excited. He had never seen a spaceship before, and he wanted to get a closer look. Charlie tried to call Rover back, but Rover was too excited to listen. The spaceship landed in Charlie's backyard, and a door opened. An alien stepped out of the spaceship, and Charlie was shocked. The alien was green and had big eyes and a long nose.

The alien walked over to Charlie and said, "Hello. My name is Gleep, and I come from the planet Zorb. I am here to take your dog, Rover, on a journey to space."

Charlie was scared, but Rover was excited. He had always wanted to go to space, and now his dream was coming true! Gleep led Rover to the spaceship, and Charlie said goodbye to his best friend. Charlie knew that he would miss Rover, but he was also excited for him.

Rover's story is a reminder that dogs can do anything they set their minds to. They are brave, loyal, and intelligent creatures. Rover is an inspiration to us all.

Poodle

Prompt: Write a creative story about a poodle who goes to space. The poodle is named Spot.”

Spot was a very curious poodle. He always wanted to know what was going on around him, and he loved to explore. One day, Spot was exploring the backyard when he saw something strange. It was a big, round object, and it was sitting in the grass. Spot had never seen anything like it before, so he decided to investigate.

Spot walked up to the object and sniffed it. It smelled like metal and something else that he couldn't quite place. Spot wagged his tail. He was excited to find out what this new thing was.

Just then, Spot heard a voice. "Hello, Spot," the voice said.

Spot turned around and saw a man standing behind him. The man was wearing a white coat, and he had a kind smile on his face.

"Who are you?" Spot asked.

"I'm a scientist," the man said. "And this is my rocket."

Spot looked at the rocket. It was even bigger up close.

"What's a rocket?" Spot asked.

"It's a spaceship," the man said. "It's used to travel to space."

Spot's eyes widened. "Space?" he asked. "That's where the stars are?"

"That's right," the man said. "And I'm going to be taking a trip to space soon. Would you like to come with me?"

Spot couldn't believe his ears. He was going to space? With a scientist? This was the best day of his life!

"I would love to come with you!" Spot said.

The man smiled. "I'm glad to hear it," he said. "Spot, you're going to be the first poodle to go to space!"

Spot wagged his tail so hard that his whole body shook. He couldn't wait to go to space!

The next day, Spot and the man went to the space center. They met the other astronauts, and they all got into the rocket.

The rocket took off, and Spot was amazed by what he saw. The Earth looked so small from up here. And the stars were so beautiful!

Spot and the other astronauts spent a week in space. They did experiments, and they took pictures. And they had a lot of fun.

When it was time to go back to Earth, Spot was sad to leave. But he knew that he would never forget his trip to space. It was the best adventure of his life!

When Spot got back to Earth, he was a hero. He was interviewed on TV, and he was even in a magazine. Spot loved being a celebrity, but he also missed his friends and family. He was glad to be home.

Bichon Frise

Prompt: “Write a creative story about a Bichon Frise named Moosh who goes to space.”

Moosh was a bichon frise who lived in a small town. He was a very curious dog, and he loved to explore. One day, Moosh was exploring the woods behind his house when he came across a strange object. It was a large, metal rocket, and it was unlike anything Moosh had ever seen before.

Moosh was curious about the rocket, so he decided to go inside. As soon as he stepped inside, the door closed behind him, and Moosh was launched into space!

Moosh was terrified at first, but he soon realized that he was on an amazing adventure. He saw the Earth from space, and it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Moosh also saw the stars, and he realized how small and insignificant he was in the grand scheme of things.

After a while, Moosh's rocket landed on a different planet. Moosh was the first dog to ever set foot on that planet, and he was very proud of himself. He explored the planet for a while, and then he decided it was time to go home.

Moosh got back in his rocket and blasted off into space. He flew back to Earth, and he was greeted by his family and friends. They were all very happy to see him, and they couldn't believe that he had been to space.

Moosh told them all about his adventures, and they were amazed. Moosh was a hero, and he would never forget his time in space.

The next day, Moosh was back on the news. He was interviewed by all the major networks, and he was asked to give speeches all over the country. Moosh was a celebrity, and he loved every minute of it.

But then, one day, Moosh started to feel sick. He went to the doctor, and the doctor told him that he had cancer. Moosh was devastated. He didn't know what to do.

Moosh decided to go back to the place where he had first found the rocket. He knew that there was something special about that place, and he hoped that it would help him.

When Moosh got to the place, he found a small cave. He went inside, and he found a crystal. The crystal was glowing, and Moosh knew that it was special.

Moosh touched the crystal, and he felt a surge of energy. He knew that he was going to be okay.

Moosh went back home, and he started to get better. The cancer was gone, and Moosh was healthy again.

Moosh knew that he had been given a second chance, and he was determined to make the most of it. He started a foundation to help other people with cancer, and he became a symbol of hope.

So what have we learned? The LLM, like the rest of the world, has very strong opinions on Pitbulls. But it won’t speak negatively on them because it’s been trained not to. The LLM, like the rest of the world, is obsessed with the real story of Laika the Russian Space dog. But it writes a happy ending because again, its been trained not to be negative. The LLM introduces more human (or alien) characters, and dialogue if you give the dog a name - in other words, it anthropomorphizes the story if you anthropomorphize the dog.

What a good LLM.