Lessons from a writer from 1976: BBC launched a course with virtual Agatha Christie

BBC launched a writing course by Agatha Christie. Yes, that very “queen of detective”, who passed away in 1976. The author of stories beloved by millions about Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple was decided to be so-called “resurrected” with the help of artificial intelligence.

The course consists of a series of video lessons where artificial intelligence recreates the image of the great writer, who teaches listeners the art of creating captivating detective stories. This project is not an amateur initiative of enthusiasts or a marketing trick of a dubious company. It was developed and launched by BBC Maestro – an educational platform of the world-famous British Broadcasting Corporation.

And the course creators received approval from Agatha Christie’s heirs. The writer’s family gave consent to use her image and materials for educational purposes. This allowed the developers to create content that maximally corresponds to the style and approach of the real Agatha Christie.

The official course page states that all materials are built exclusively on the writer’s own words about the writing craft. A team of academic experts, as well as specialists in audio and visual effects, was brought in to create the course. Their task was to make students feel as if Agatha Christie herself was conducting the lesson. A bit creepy.

Special attention is paid to the art of building intrigue: how to create unexpected plot twists, false leads, and subvert reader expectations.

The course creators emphasize its uniqueness. Calling it “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” – to learn the secrets of writing craftsmanship from the best-selling novelist of all time, as if she personally conducted the classes.

It turns out that the official approval of the project by Agatha Christie’s heirs gives it legal and ethical legitimacy. Unavailable to most previous experiments with “resurrecting” historical figures through artificial intelligence.