What if 2+2=5? Let's find out!
Quick AI-related experiment, just for fun.
Before we jump into the next experiment, if you’ve found your way here from somewhere other than Substack and enjoy the fun (and chaos) of trying and creating new things, hit subscribe!
You’ll get to see more of my experiments—some that work, and others that don’t—but that’s part of the ride.
Now, let’s talk custom GPTs. I’m not the biggest fan of them, mostly because they come with a lot of limitations. Sure, you can do way more with the API—more flexibility, more control—but that also means paying for tokens and building a UI, which can be overkill when you just need something good enough.
I’ve been experimenting with GPT from the start, but usually, I keep my projects private. This time, though, I wanted to make something purely for fun. I didn’t stress about response structures or hallucinations—this was just an experiment, after all.
So, what did I create? A GPT that takes you into an alternate reality. All you have to do is set the direction with a statement like: What would the world look like if 2+2=5? or What if humans never invented writing? From there, you’ll get a short story exploring that alternative world.
Give it a try and let me know where it takes you!
Example for “The human body only needs water” reality:
Character: Lina, a 32-year-old biologist, with bright, inquisitive eyes and a lean, fit physique. Her long days spent in the lab are balanced by frequent hiking trips, during which she marvels at the intricacies of nature.
Day 1
Lina wakes up in her small apartment in the heart of the city. The morning sunlight filters through her window, casting warm rays across the room. She stretches lazily, padding barefoot to the kitchen. The refrigerator hums softly, but inside, there's nothing but rows of glass bottles filled with water. Lina grabs one and drinks deeply, savoring the cool, refreshing taste as it flows down her throat. There's no need for breakfast—no hunger pangs, no empty stomach to fill.
As a child, she had always been fascinated by stories of how, in ancient times, humans believed they needed solid food to survive. The remnants of those myths still linger in museums: stone carvings of grand feasts, intricate paintings of banquet tables covered in fruits, meats, and breads. But everyone knows the truth now. The human body is fueled by water, and water alone.
At the lab, Lina is working on her latest research—studying the unique properties of various water sources around the world. Since water is the only sustenance humans need, the purity and quality of it is of the utmost importance. Everyone has access to clean water, with vast global networks ensuring that even remote villages are connected to freshwater supplies. There are competitions to find the most refreshing and energizing sources, and new water purification methods are developed with the same intensity that food industries once garnered.
Her colleague Lucas greets her, holding a sleek metal bottle. "I found this spring in the Andes," he says excitedly, "It's supposed to be the smoothest yet."
Lina takes a sip, feeling the slight mineral richness on her tongue. “Delicious,” she smiles. Their experiments focus on extracting different properties from water—boosting energy, enhancing focus, even subtle mood improvements. Water is life in every literal sense.
Day 13
Lina is hiking through a dense forest, deep in the wilderness. The air is crisp, the leaves damp with morning dew. There are no food wrappers in her backpack, no packed lunches—just a few flasks of different types of water, each designed for different phases of the hike. One for endurance, another to help her recover faster after exertion.
Stopping by a stream, she watches the clear liquid flow over smooth stones. Water has become more than just a necessity; it’s a refined art. People collect water from rare locations, trading bottles like vintage wine, savoring its subtle flavors and distinct effects. There are festivals dedicated to the art of hydration, where people share stories of their best sips, their favorite springs.
Lina fills her bottle from the stream, testing the taste. Fresh, crisp, slightly earthy. It makes her feel revitalized instantly. Her body, like all human bodies, absorbs the water and transforms it directly into energy, sustaining her through the long hike without any need for rest beyond occasional sips.
Even the plants she passes by seem aware of this universal truth. The flowers sway gently in the breeze, their petals glistening with moisture. Animals graze lazily, indifferent to the abundance of food around them—after all, like humans, they only need water.
Day 27
Back in the city, Lina attends a hydration symposium. It’s a grand affair, held in one of the sleek, water-shaped skyscrapers that dominate the skyline. Hundreds of researchers, innovators, and enthusiasts are gathered to discuss the future of water-based living. On stage, a speaker presents new findings on how water can be optimized for mental clarity and emotional balance.
After the lecture, Lina sips from her own flask, customized for the day’s event to help her stay focused and calm. Conversations around her buzz with excitement—discussions about new filtration techniques, the search for pristine aquifers, and the future of water design.
She wonders briefly about the old times, when people complicated their lives with farming, cooking, and eating. The thought is almost laughable. How much time was wasted on preparation, on gathering ingredients, on worrying about what to eat? Now, humanity is streamlined, their focus on more important things: exploration, creation, invention.
Later, as she watches the sunset from her apartment balcony, Lina drinks a final sip of water for the day. It flows through her like life itself, pure and simple. There’s no hunger, no fatigue—just the steady hum of energy that comes from being perfectly, endlessly hydrated.
Day 42
Lina is on an expedition to an underground lake, one of the rare untouched water sources left in the world. As the boat glides silently across the water’s surface, the team prepares to collect samples. This water could hold new properties—something entirely unknown to humanity. Perhaps it will offer new levels of physical performance or unlock deeper cognitive abilities.
Lina dips her hand into the water, feeling its cool embrace. The world she lives in is one where sustenance is elegant, refined, and perfect. There’s no need for complex agriculture or livestock. The environment has thrived in the absence of food production, with nature reclaiming vast stretches of land that were once farms and cities.
With every sip of water, Lina feels connected to the very essence of life itself. This is what it means to live in a world where the human body needs only water—a life as fluid and limitless as the streams and rivers that nourish them.