👾 AI Buddy for Playing Minecraft

According to a Pew Research Center study, 72% of 1,423 surveyed teenagers ages 13-17 use video games to socialize with other players.

In response to this trend, the startup Altera is developing an AI buddy for playing Minecraft.

Who are the AI buddies?

🔥 AI buddies are AI models that play Minecraft alongside regular players. Unlike bots, they do not require prompts and act independently, resulting in a more natural game experience. Players can't "program" them, just as they can't program a real friend.

🌷 Altera was founded in December 2023 and has already raised $11.1 million in investments. Founders include former MIT neurologist Robert Yang. Altera aims to create digital "people" who will collaborate with humans to solve complex tasks, understand emotions, and establish real connections beyond current AI assistants.

What makes Minecraft unique?

🌷Minecraft is the best-selling game in the world, created in 2009 by Mojang. The game has no set goals or storyline; everything depends on the player's improvisation. This creates an enormous scope for creativity and self-expression.

🌳 The game is built on mining and placing blocks — differing in texture, physics, and other characteristics — and crafting objects from ingredients. The minimalist cubic graphics evoke nostalgia for retro games and set Minecraft apart from other projects.

📱 Minecraft has become a cultural phenomenon: it is featured in movies, theatrical performances are based on it, and Netflix recently announced an animated Minecraft series for the game's 15th anniversary.

▶ To play Minecraft with Altera's AI buddy, you need to join the waitlist. The company plans to open access this summer.

Sources: TechCrunch, VentureBeat, Game Industry Biz

More on the topic:

🎮 7 Games About a Future Where Humans Live Alongside AI

🤖 How Did NPC AI Emerge in Video Games: Non-Player Characters with Their Opinion

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