Algorithmic Storytelling: From Hollywood to TikTok: Can AI Reshape Cultural Narratives?

Abstract

This review examines how storytelling is changing in the algorithmic era where artificial intelligence (AI) and recommendation systems are part of how narratives are produced and distributed. In the Hollywood of the 20th century, the control of the market was based on the homogenized formulas of narratives, the three-act narrative structure and the adventure of the hero, which produced globally recognizable, yet homogenized narratives. The emergence of digital platforms such as Netflix, YouTube, and Tik Tok has broken down this paradigm by substituting the use of intuition in decision-making with algorithmic data and individualized suggestions. Algorithms do not only affect the distribution of stories to the audience; they also actively affect creative production by using generative AI tools, script evaluation software or real-time audience feedback. Case studies bring into focus two opposing but related models: the dependency of Hollywood on predictive analytics which has driven formulaic sequels and franchise-based productions and the participatory storytelling ecosystem of Tik Tok where micro-narratives flourish because of user interaction and trends on the For You Page.

The review highlights the dual-faceted nature of the algorithmic storytelling that can be used to democratize cultural expression as well as support systemic inequalities. On the one hand, platforms boost marginalized voices, by bypassing the traditional gatekeepers, and on the other, biased moderation, echo chambers, and commercial focus prove to be a threat to the exposure of diversity, and false information. Authorship, copyright, data privacy, and cultural bias are ethically and politically controversial issues, and the growing power of algorithmic systems makes them new intermediaries of cultural stories. In the future, cultural production can be redefined by hybrid systems of human-AI co-creation, interactive personalization, and decentralized systems of storytelling. The key to making sure that algorithmic storytelling will enhance, and not avert, the diversity of narratives of the global cultures will be balancing innovation with transparency, inclusivity, and ethics.