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Emissaries by Ian Cheng is a simulation of many AI-controlled fictional characters in a self-evolving environment. No storyline is predetermined for the characters and the world. Every object decide its next move based on its parameters and its interaction with others. I find it especially inspiring not just because it’s pretty and intricate and convincing as a fictional world. It also surprised me how powerful generative art can be when armed with other aspects of art (such as character design and animation) and technology (such as AI behind the characters).

From one of his lectures I learned that he spent years on this project. I don’t know if the creator has thought about simulating worlds other than such a primitive society, or works of smaller scale that can be similarly intriguing. Not that I think it’s ineffective right now, but if it’s possible to make smaller scale simulations with such rich integration of art and tech, perhaps more people will be able to join the camp and create many other generative art of diverse themes and style.