On Oct. 31, the artificial intelligence company Decart released its AI-generated version of Minecraft to the public. This marked a significant milestone in the development of AI for gaming purposes.
The AI-generated Minecraft model titled Oasis is similar to the vast majority of other AI models in that it was trained by finding patterns. In this case, the AI analyzed millions of hours of in-game Minecraft footage.
Decart was able to remove the fundamental code that creates the Minecraft “worlds” ー including the laws of physics, the lighting and the interactions between the players and the surroundings ー with a singular AI model. Oasis creates games by predicting the next frame of gameplay based on the previous frame and the player’s inputs.
The use of AI to generate gameplay has several interesting consequences on the game itself, specifically the lack of “object permanence”. If a player looks at the ground and then looks up, the world can drastically change from a forest to a desert. This is simply because the AI is trying to predict what the world should look like based on previous frames but does not quite “remember” the world as a whole.
Even though the game also does have a low resolution that occurs as a byproduct of live-time AI generation, many users are nonetheless amazed by the AI’s capabilities. “While a lot of games take a lot of effort to create by people, it was crazy to see that this one was entired powered by AI,” commented senior Ameya Menon.
In the grand scheme of things, Oasis is simply a testing ground for the future of AI-generated gameplay. Decart’s end goal is to create an environment where users are free to create a gaming experience completely tailored to their personality. Whether users want to play Minecraft in a medieval world full of dragons or a futuristic space colony, Decart hopes to be able to make their dreams a reality.
From a financial standpoint, PV Esports advisor Janene Murphy sees this as the next logical step in the 21st century trend of consumer customization. “Personalization has been a big buzz word in the business world for a while now – like how Netflix recommends shows based on your preferences,” explained Murphy. Customization allows for services such as these video games to be tailored directly to the consumer, increasing the chance that a consumer purchases a service and drives up a company’s profits.
The inherent unpredictability of these AI models adds a new layer of complexity and intrigue to AI-generated games. “While traditional Minecraft requires creativity in building within a fixed world, this AI system could inspire players to think on their feet and adapt to ever-changing environments,” said Murphy.
She notices that this level of creativity is “reactive, not proactive,” requiring a response from the player rather than having the player develop their own creativity. “There is something so beautifully magical about creating a world in your own mind and bringing it to life,” said Murphy, noting this joy is not present in AI-generated games.
Depending on how AI is fused into the gaming industry, the future of online gaming could be drastically different from current video games, potentially leading to highly customizable and interactive online games. In the end, the economic viability of and consumer reaction to real-time AI-generated gaming experiences are still unknown.
