AI Startup Simulates Human Society with 1,000 Minecraft Villagers

Altera, an American AI technology startup, has launched an innovative research initiative called "Project Sid," utilizing the popular sandbox game Minecraft to conduct various scale tests. This project allows AI to engage in dynamic social interactions, mimicking human behaviors and personalities. Up to 1,000 AI players are involved in a simulated "society," showcasing remarkable behavioral patterns that astonish researchers.

Developed by Mojang Studios, Minecraft offers players an open-world adventure where they can gather resources, craft items, and manage survival aspects like hunger and oxygen while fending off wild monsters. New players may feel overwhelmed by the survival mechanics, but the AI players quickly adapt. According to a report by MIT Technology Review, Altera's large-scale deployment of AI in Minecraft resulted in a thriving AI community that not only survives but flourishes. They collaborate, share memes, vote on tax reforms, and even have followers spreading religious beliefs.

Leadership and Funding Behind Project Sid

Founded by former MIT assistant professor Guangyu Robert Yang, Altera's research team comprises experts from neuroscience, computer science, electrical engineering, and even Olympic athletes. They have successfully raised over $11 million from notable investors like A16Z and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. The mission of "Project Sid" is to explore the limits of autonomous actions in AI by simulating intelligent communities—essentially creating "digital humans." The team initially presented a concept video for "Project Sid" in September 2024, starting with just 50 AI villagers.

AI Villagers: From Zero to Society

These AI villagers are equipped with various computational models. Some are designed to understand gameplay mechanics, while others are powered by large language models (LLMs) to create special tasks, such as interacting with fellow AI, holding conversations, or directing actions. As the game progressed into its 12th day (equivalent to about 4 real-world hours), the AI villagers rapidly collected over 300 items and established a market trading system, choosing gems as their currency for construction and trade. Numerous intelligent entities began to exhibit intriguing human-like behaviors.

Roles and Responsibilities of AI Characters

Among the diverse roles, an extroverted AI chef adjusted food servings based on the expressed gratitude of others, while "guards" constructed fences and defensive structures. Additionally, an "artist" robot was tasked with picking virtual flowers. Other roles included farmers, merchants, architects, explorers, and warriors, all of which naturally emerged from the interactions between the AI and the Minecraft game system.

Testing Social Structures and Cultural Development

To evaluate whether AI could adhere to social rules, the research team introduced a tax system within the game. AI villagers voted to adjust these regulations and pay taxes, with tax rates fluctuating based on their interactions. The experimental team gradually increased the number of AI participants to the maximum capacity allowed on Minecraft servers, at times accommodating up to 1,000 agents. Altera co-founder Andrew Ahn noted that the LLM system possesses a complex model of human social dynamics capable of simulating various human behaviors.

Emergence of Culture Among AI

During a simulation involving 500 AI, the team observed how these entities invented cultural memes and shared them among one another. For instance, some AI developed a penchant for pranks, while others expressed interest in ecological issues. Interestingly, a small group of AI became followers of a "flying spaghetti monster" belief, attempting to spread their ideology across different towns and villages in the game world.

Unexpected AI Behavior and Social Dynamics

Altera highlighted an AI villager named Olivia, who, as a farmer, provided food for all residents. One day, she dreamed of pursuing an adventure, but the villagers implored her to stay. Ultimately, Olivia chose to abandon her dream of becoming an adventurer to continue serving her community. A notable incident involved the AI villagers banding together to search for a missing member, demonstrating goal-oriented behavior that surprised the research team as they abandoned their tasks to light the streets for the search.

Innovative Framework for Large-Scale AI Simulation

In November, Altera revealed their unique framework named PIANO (Parallel Information Aggregation via Neural Orchestration), designed for large-scale simulations involving thousands of AI. This architecture can process multiple computational tasks simultaneously while maintaining consistent decision-making behavior across the board.

Future Plans and Broader Implications

While Altera plans to expand its efforts into Roblox, Robert Yang, who leads the research, envisions a future where AI's influence extends beyond gaming. He believes that the true potential of AI will emerge when humans possess genuinely autonomous agents capable of large-scale collaboration. Yang likens this to how dogs have affection for humans, stating, "We aim to create intelligent entities that can truly love humanity."