[nostalgic piano]
A year ago, on a stage like this one, I showed what AI could do with a fifth grader's story.
A real student wrote about the ups and downs of gaming — and in seconds, AI remixed it into a children's picture book.
“Once in a small, cozy room, lived a young gamer, bright as the moon.”
It illustrated it, too. Six images. And a year ago, this felt like magic.
But look closer. Our hero doesn't quite… stay our hero.
His hair changes. His age drifts. His whole art style keeps reinventing itself.
Nothing moved. Nothing spoke. There was no music — and any text came out garbled.
Every image was a separate request, assembled by hand, slide by slide.
Still: a fifth grader's story became a picture book in an afternoon.
That was a year ago. …And this is what AI can do now.
[warm adventure music]
Once there was a boy who loved his video games — the challenge, the fun, the whole bright world of them.
KAI: They even give me MORE energy!
And on the other side of that screen… a whole world was waiting.
GRANDMA: You have to get off the device, now.
KAI: But I'm right in the middle of the game!
Problem number one: house rules. He argued — but he followed them. Maybe he'd work it out when he got older.
But when he was allowed back in the game, problem number two was already waiting for him.
Strangers. This one seemed friendly… he even brought a gift.
The trust trade: his two gravediggers for five ghost pistols.
Drop your items… build the wall… and trust a stranger.
KAI: Hey! He took everything!
The weapons — gone. And the stranger knew his username.
Two problems at once… and suddenly, grandma's rules felt a lot like love.
KAI: It is hard to enjoy a hobby with stress… I learned to be more careful.
The good and the bad. That's the whole quest. And this time… the story was all his.
[arcade fanfare]
Every great game ends with a results screen — so instead of credits, here's ours.
Story ideas and voice: maxed out.
Dialogue and suspense: strong — that trust trade had us holding our breath.
Vivid details: five ghost pistols, two gravediggers — chef's kiss.
Next quest for our author: slow down inside the big moment… and let us see Grandma's kind face.
Every one of these is a real Ohio fifth-grade writing standard.
One year ago, this story got six wobbly pictures. Today, it got a film.
Imagine what your students' stories get next year.