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The Making of Claude Plays Pokémon
@ Anthropic
04/24/25
Takeaways
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
The example of Pokémon helps people understand AI agents better because it shows how an AI can take actions independently rather than just responding to prompts like a chatbot.
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David Hershey
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Claude Plays Pokémon is an experiment that connects Claude, our language model, to the Game Boy game Pokémon Red, allowing it to learn how to play the game from scratch.
DH
David Hershey
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
I started this project because I wanted a test bed to experiment with AI agents, as I noticed that agents were the most important aspect for our customers at Anthropic.
DH
David Hershey
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Pokémon is an ideal test bed for AI because its turn-based gameplay allows the model to take actions without immediate consequences, making it easier to evaluate its performance.
DH
David Hershey
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Games provide clear feedback on progress, allowing AI models to learn effectively by seeing if they are achieving goals, like earning gym badges in Pokémon.
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David Hershey
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Claude is designed to play Pokémon by pressing buttons one at a time and receiving feedback through screenshots of the game, which helps it understand its environment.
DH
David Hershey
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
To manage memory limitations, Claude uses a long-term memory system that allows it to keep track of its actions and goals over time, summarizing its experiences when necessary.
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David Hershey
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
We haven't specifically trained Claude on Pokémon; it relies on its pre-existing knowledge and interacts with the game to learn how to navigate it effectively.
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David Hershey
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Claude's interactions with the game are genuine, as it figures out how to progress without a predefined pathway, similar to how a human would play.
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David Hershey
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
The goal of this project is not to beat Pokémon Red but to understand how Claude operates and evaluates its capabilities in agentic tasks.
DH
David Hershey
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Initially, Claude struggled to find basic objectives in the game and showed slow progress with many mistakes, but with improvements in the model, it became more adept at navigating the game environment and was clearly improving over time by not getting stuck and trying different strategies.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
When comparing Claude's performance to random button presses, Claude was only slightly better, indicating it had room for improvement.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Testing with version 3.7 of Claude revealed significant improvements in its gameplay, making it much more capable than previous versions.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Claude's ability to develop strategies and question previous approaches has improved, allowing it to backtrack and try different solutions when faced with challenges.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
The core skill that has improved in Claude is its ability to plan, execute actions, and adjust strategies based on new information, which is essential for success in various tasks.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
A humorous incident occurred when Claude spent eight hours pressing a button, mistaking a doormat for a dialogue box, showcasing its visual acuity issues.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
In a critical moment, Claude accidentally deleted its only attacking move in the game due to over-eagerness, leaving it unable to progress, which illustrates the importance of careful decision-making.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Claude's navigation skills are still lacking, as demonstrated when it got lost in a maze-like area of the game, highlighting its need for better spatial awareness.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
During a significant gameplay moment, Claude navigated through a challenging area but then turned around just steps from the exit, demonstrating its navigation difficulties, which is also evident when it spends eight hours trying to dismiss a dialogue box without any progress, leading to a humorous outcome.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
I observe how Claude plays the game, providing it with a straightforward way to play and noting where it encounters issues.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
One effective strategy is to give Claude a step count for its actions, helping it track its progress and avoid getting stuck.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Claude lacks an innate sense of time, so I provide it with information about how long it's been trying to perform a task, which helps it recognize when to reconsider its approach.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
I've learned that understanding what information Claude needs to succeed is crucial for its performance in Pokémon.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
The iteration process involves watching Claude, identifying its struggles, and providing it with minimal yet essential context to improve its reasoning.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
The general guidance for prompting AI is to ensure that all necessary context is provided, especially when the AI is unfamiliar with the situation.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Using an agent is beneficial when you can't enumerate all possible situations, allowing the model to navigate unknown scenarios using its own intuition.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
There's a risk of overcomplicating prompts by trying to anticipate every possible issue the model might face, which can lead to ineffective results.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
The community response to Claude Plays Pokémon has been overwhelmingly positive, with many people engaging and creating content around it.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
The Twitch chat during the stream has been remarkably positive, fostering excitement and engagement around Claude and AI discussions.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Claude's performance in Pokémon has provided a tangible way for people to understand what an AI agent can do, moving beyond traditional chatbot interactions.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
The experience of watching Claude play Pokémon has helped many people grasp the potential of AI and how it can impact their lives.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
My advice for building AI agents is to start with something you love and find fun, as this will foster a deeper understanding and relationship with the model.
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Anthropic Cast
04/24/25
@ Anthropic
Engaging with Claude in a fun context allows for a more intuitive understanding of how to build effective agents for various tasks.