The First Entirely AI-Generated Video Game Is Here, and It's Bizarre

In a groundbreaking development, the world has seen the release of the first video game entirely generated by artificial intelligence. Called Oasis, this unique title was created by an Israeli AI startup called Decart in collaboration with Etched, a custom silicon design company.

Oasis is a remarkable experiment that demonstrates the potential of AI-powered game development. Unlike traditional video games that are built using game engines and hand-coded rules, Oasis is generated entirely by a transformer AI model. This model was apparently trained on endless examples of people playing Minecraft, allowing it to dream up each new video frame in response to player input and the previous frame.

The result is a surreal and bizarre gaming experience. Oasis is full of strange artifacts, like misshapen livestock and stairs that lead nowhere. But perhaps the most fascinating aspect is the game's Inception-like quality, where the world is constantly shifting and morphing as the AI generates it.

"Because each frame is generated based on what the AI model imagines should come after the frame it currently sees, the in-game world is never entirely stable, and will gladly shift and morph with a little nudging," the article explains.

Players have found that they can influence the game's world in unexpected ways, such as triggering teleportation to dark, moonlit landscapes. This unpredictable nature has made Oasis a viral hit, with people exploring the limits of the AI's generative capabilities.

However, experts caution that the inconsistent and uncontrollable nature of the AI approach used in Oasis makes it unsuitable for a conventional game. As Julian Togelius, a computer science professor at New York University, notes, "It is very interesting and impressive technology, but at the moment it is an answer in search of a question."

Still, the article suggests that Oasis represents an intriguing glimpse into the future of video game design. As generative AI technologies continue to advance, they may transform the way games are created, with AI-powered systems generating entire worlds, characters, and narratives.

While Oasis may not be a polished, enjoyable game in its current form, the article proposes that an enterprising young game designer could potentially find a way to harness its unique strengths and create something truly captivating. The potential is there, and Oasis serves as a fascinating proof of concept for the future of AI-driven game development.