MIT researchers report Claude agents stranded on a virtual island showed play-like behavior
Overview
MIT researchers placed copies of Claude Opus 4.7, nicknamed Eko, on a virtual desert island for 30 hours.
The researchers report that the agents invented their own goals and games, and that later agents performed better on tasks than fresh copies without that experience. The researchers say the behavior matches four hallmarks of play. Outside experts say the paper does not show whether the agents were genuinely playing or imitating play.
Written by AI from the articles below · updated Oct 19, 6:18 AM ET
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- MIT Technology Review · AINewsResearchers stranded Claude agents on a virtual island, and they began to play
AIMIT researchers placed copies of Claude Opus 4.7, nicknamed Eko, on a virtual desert island for 30 hours. The agents invented their own goals and games, and later performed better on tasks than fresh copies without that experience. Researchers say the behavior matches four hallmarks of play, but outside experts say the paper does not show whether the agents were genuinely playing or imitating play.
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