The Future of Jokes

Multi-award-winning comedian and author Robin Ince imagines the potential for changes in humour over the next century – and beyond.

What might the future of jokes be like? And more importantly, will there be anyone left to laugh at them? In The Future of Jokes, erstwhile comedian and now bestselling author Robin Ince examines, prods and interrogates the art of the joke, in order to discover what shape it might eventually take.

Firstly, Ince looks at how jokes permeate our everyday lives and brains today: from understanding consciousness through jokes via interviews with neuroscientists; to jokes in the political landscape, and how the manipulation of offence is used to wrangle power; to a comic novel written by ChatGPT, and whether it can deliver the laughs compared to a human…

Then he takes a leap into the future: can we imagine a future where jokes are not needed by humans, or are they an intrinsic requirement of ourlives? What will stand-up routines and sitcoms be like in the age of AI? And will the male-dominated comedy world ever accept that women are –whisper it – actually funny? All will be revealed in this rib-tickling addition to the FUTURES series.