New AI May Be Able to Determine How Much Help Shakespeare Had With His Plays

A new AI machine may be able to tell how much help Shakespeare had when writing some of his plays.

According to Engadget, Czech researcher Petr Plecháč has developed a machine learning system that determined which portions of Henry VIII were likely written by John Fletcher, who is believed by many to be his collaborator.

The machine uses an algorithm to recognize word choices and rhythms of both writers, based on their plays from the time.

The results determined that Fletcher wrote just under half of Henry VIII, include the start of new scenes as well as near the ends of other scenes. There are also places where there's mixed authorship. The process also ruled out the involvement of another playwright, Philip Massinger.

While this machine does not give a definitive answer - for example, the two authors may have imitated one another - it is still an interesting development and an addition to a longstanding conversation.

Read more on Engadget.