PARIS (May 7): Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) lab DeepMind has invested in the studio behind the video game EVE Online to train its AI tools, the companies announced on Wednesday.
Launched in 2003, EVE Online is a massively multiplayer space-based role-playing game in which player interactions play a major role in determining economic and political development.
DeepMind researchers first test the AI model on a separate offline version of the game that players do not have access to.
“This is a unique simulation for testing artificial general intelligence in a secure sandbox environment,” said DeepMind Research Director Alexandre Moufarek.
By playing the game, DeepMind’s AI models will help you improve your long-term planning and continuous learning skills.
Demis Hassabis, the institute’s director, said video games are “the perfect training ground for developing and testing AI algorithms” and have enabled many of DeepMind’s breakthroughs.
The minority stake in Google was acquired as part of the return to independence of Iceland’s CCP Games, which has been held by South Korean game studio Pearl Abyss since 2018.
Following the US$120 million (RM468.96 million) deal, the company, which will rebrand to Fenris Creations, said the deal only affects ownership and governance and no job cuts are planned in Iceland.
He added that there are plans to maintain studios in London and Shanghai as well.
The company made more than $70 million in revenue and profits last year, and said it has two EVE-related titles planned for the future.
