The Morning After: Google DeepMind's Genie 2 can generate interactive 3D worlds

Google DeepMind has just revealed Genie 2, a world-modelling AI capable of creating 3D worlds and sustaining those environments for significantly longer. It's a diffusion model that generates images as the player (either a human being or another AI agent) moves through the world the software is simulating. All it needs to start is a single image prompt either generated by AI or from a real-world photo. There are limitations: DeepMind says the model can generate "consistent" worlds for up to 60 seconds, with the majority of the examples the company shared on Wednesday running for significantly less time -- most videos are between 10 to 20 seconds long. Image quality also softens and comes undone the longer Genie 2 needs to maintain the illusion of a consistent world.