For NVIDIA Senior AI Scientist Jim Fan, the video game Minecraft served as the perfect primordial soup for his research on open-ended AI agents.
In the latest AI Podcast episode, host Noah Kravitz spoke with Fan on using large language models to create AI agents - specifically to create Voyager, an AI bot built with Chat GPT-4 that can autonomously play Minecraft.
AI agents are models that can proactively take actions and then perceive the world, see the consequences of its actions, and then improve itself, Fan said. Many current AI agents are programmed to achieve specific objectives, such as beating a game as quickly as possible or answering a question. They can work autonomously toward a particular output but lack a broader decision-making agency.
Fan wondered if it was possible to have a truly open-ended agent that can be prompted by arbitrary natural language to do open-ended, even creative things.
But he needed a flexible playground in which to test that possibility.
And that's why we found Minecraft to be almost a perfect primordial soup for open-ended agents to emerge, because it sets up the environment so well, he said. Minecraft at its core, after all, doesn't set a specific key objective for players other than to survive and freely explore the open world.
That became the springboard for Fan's project, MineDojo, which eventually led to the creation of the AI bot Voyager.
Voyager leverages the power of Chat GPT-4 to write code in Javascript to execute in the game, Fan explained. GPT-4 then looks at the output, and if there's an error from JavaScript or some feedback from the environment, GPT-4 does a self-reflection and tries to debug the code.
The bot learns from its mistakes and stores the correctly implemented programs in a skill library for future use, allowing for lifelong learning.
In-game, Voyager can autonomously explore for hours, adapting its decisions based on its environment and developing skills to combat monsters and find food when needed.
We see all these behaviors come from the Voyager setup, the skill library and also the coding mechanism, Fan explained. We did not preprogram any of these behaviors.
He then spoke more generally about the rise and trajectory of LLMs. He foresees strong applications in software, gaming and robotics and increasingly pressing conversations surrounding AI safety.
Fan encourages those looking to get involved and work with LLMs to just do something, whether that means using online resources or experimenting with beginner-friendly, CPU-based AI models.
The AI Podcast NVIDIA's Jim Fan delves into large language models and their industry impact Ep. 204
You Might Also Like Jules Anh Tuan Nguyen Explains How AI Lets Amputee Control Prosthetic Hand, Video Games
A postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota discusses his efforts to allow amputees to control their prosthetic limb - right down to the finger motions - with their minds.
Overjet's Ai Wardah Inam on Bringing AI to Dentistry
Overjet, a member of NVIDIA Inception, is moving fast to bring AI to dentists' offices. Dr. Wardah Inam, CEO of the company, discusses using AI to improve patient care.
Immunai CTO and Co-Founder Luis Voloch on Using Deep Learning to Develop New Drugs
Luis Voloch talks about tackling the challenges of the immune system with a machine learning and data science mindset.
Subscribe to the AI Podcast: Now Available on Amazon Music The AI Podcast is now available through Amazon Music.
In addition, get the AI Podcast through iTunes, Google Podcasts, Google Play, Castbox, DoggCatcher, Overcast, PlayerFM, Pocket Casts, Podbay, PodBean, PodCruncher, PodKicker, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher and TuneIn.
Make the AI Podcast better. Have a few minutes to spare? Fill out this listener survey.
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
For NVIDIA Senior AI Scientist Jim Fan, the video game Minecraft served as the perfect primordial soup for his research on open-ended AI agents.
