AI Model Claude 3.7 Sonnet Attempts Pokémon Red Playthrough
In a groundbreaking experiment dubbed “Claude Plays Pokémon,” Anthropic’s AI model Claude 3.7 Sonnet is attempting to complete a playthrough of the classic game Pokémon Red. The initiative aims to showcase the potential of AI agents to operate autonomously in complex virtual environments.
Claude has made notable progress, reaching Cerulean City and earning three Gym badges. However, the AI’s journey has been marked by slow advancement and frequent pauses for “thinking.” Twitch viewers have been eagerly following the livestream, witnessing both Claude’s struggles and occasional breakthroughs.
Currently, Claude faces a significant hurdle in accessing Route 5, repeatedly failing to use the HM “Cut” on trees blocking the path. The AI’s process of elimination approach has led to a fixation on finding a non-existent “gatehouse,” highlighting the limitations of its problem-solving capabilities compared to human players.
Technical challenges plague Claude’s gameplay, particularly in visual processing of the game’s low-resolution environment. While the AI excels at interpreting text-based portions and accessing game RAM for coordinates, visual interpretation remains a significant obstacle, often resulting in basic mistakes like walking into walls.
David Hershey, an Anthropic engineer involved in the project, noted Claude’s difficulty in understanding in-game visuals. “A more visually realistic game might actually be easier for Claude to process,” Hershey suggested. Despite these challenges, the AI occasionally demonstrates cleverness in responding to misleading in-game clues.
Claude 3.7 Sonnet has already outperformed its predecessor, 3.0 Sonnet, which failed to progress beyond the game’s starting area. However, the experiment underscores the significant gap between current AI capabilities and the goal of creating fully autonomous agents capable of navigating complex virtual worlds.
As the experiment continues, there remains potential for Claude to overcome its current obstacles and make further progress in the game. The AI’s performance in this unique challenge provides valuable insights into the current state of artificial intelligence and the road ahead for autonomous AI agents.
