What we have in common with world-ending AI

A chat with the creator of the game every AI skeptic and fanatic should play

This week on Post Games, “What we have in common with world-ending AI.”

Act 1: Why every AI superfan and skeptic should play Universal Paperclips. A review conversation with AJ Fillari, co-host of dotzip and producer of Into the Aether

For Patreon subscribers, an intermission: 5 "clicker" games to play after Universal Paperclips

Act 2: An extended interview with Frank Lantz, the creator of Universal Paperclips about designing a game from the AI's POV

Act 3: The news of the week, including cool game art for a good cause

Also for Patreon subscribers: a recording of Frank Lantz’s famous speech about the trouble with modern video games

This episode is part one of a two-part series on what we can learn about AI and ourselves through video games. Next week, we'll continue with "How I AI-proofed my career after imagining the apocalypse."

(Image: Chris Plante via Team Asobi/SIE)

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Act 1: Universal Paperclips, a review

• Play Universal Paperclips (Browser/iOS/Android)

• Dotzip’s episode on Universal Paperclips

• What future artificial intelligence will think of our puny human video games (Polygon)

• The Unexpected Philosophical Depths of the Clicker Game Universal Paperclips (The New Yorker)

• Our weird robot apocalypse: How paper clips could bring about the end of the world (Salon)

• Nick Bostrom’s paperclips problem, explained (Wikipedia)

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Act 2: Frank Lantz on designing the AI POV

• Frank discusses his book, The Beauty of Games

• “Most games are junk”

• Advanced artificial intelligence will change everything, we are told. Do we get a say? (NYMag)

• Frank’s previous company, Area/Code, produced one of my favorite games: Drop7. Unfortunately, Zynga owns the game and has been a terrible steward of its iOS and Android updates.

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Act 3: News of the Week

• Pragmata is a game from a bygone era, and that era rules (Digital Trends)

• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds might be the most mechanically rich kart racer ever made (Eurogamer)

• 2025’s selected Game Maker’s Sketchbook art (iam8bit)

• The Inescapable Intersection of SGF and ICE Protests (Pen to Pixels)

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Just for Patreon:

• Five great clicker games to play after Universal Paperclips

• Frank Lantz’s famous speech on the goal of big games

• The free game of the week: how can a game be this beautiful??

• The week in video game links

• What else I’m watching

• And more!!!