I Entered a Pun Competition. My Jokes Were Written by an AI Chatbot.

BROOKLYN—I heard the MC call my name and felt my legs carry me toward the stage. It was time to enter the Punderdome.

I’d never competed in a pun contest, much less in front of hundreds of people at an event considered the Roman Colosseum of punditry. My stage presence could be described as lacking. I had done basically no preparation. I did, however, have one thing going for me: I was actually a robot.