Google's Veo 3 Sparks Speculation: Is Playable World Generation on the Horizon?
So, there's some buzz around Google's Veo 3, their latest video-generating model, and its potential use in video games. It all started when someone on X (formerly Twitter) asked Google about making a playable video game out of Veo 3 videos. The CEO of DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, replied with a suggestive "now wouldn’t that be something." Then, another Google exec chimed in with a bunch of zipped-lip emojis. What does it all mean?
While Google hasn't officially announced anything, it's not a crazy idea. After all, they've already been working on world models, which are basically simulations of real-world environments. These models allow AI agents to predict how things will react to their actions. Think of it like a super-realistic sandbox where the AI can play and learn. Google also has Gemini 2.5 Pro, a multimodal foundation model, that they plan to turn into a world model that simulates aspects of the human brain. Pretty wild, huh?
Genie 2, unveiled by DeepMind in December, can generate a huge number of playable worlds. Plus, Google is putting together a special team to work on AI models that can simulate the real world. Clearly, they're serious about this stuff.
The Competition is Heating Up
Google's not the only one exploring this area. Fei-Fei Li, a well-known figure in AI, is working on it too. Her startup, World Labs, has built an AI system that creates video game-like 3D scenes from a single image. Pretty impressive, right? I mean the market is getting hotter and hotter, with big names like Microsoft, Scenario, Runway, Pika, and even OpenAI's Sora also in the mix.
Veo 3 is still in public preview, and it can create video and audio. It simulates real-world physics, making movements look realistic. While it's not a full-blown world model yet, it could be used for cool stuff like cinematic storytelling in games, think cutscenes or trailers. I think that it will greatly improve the work from game developers.
I think that the main challenge is creating simulations that are real-time, consistent, and controllable. Impressive visuals are great, but they're not enough. Maybe Google will combine Veo and Genie to create something truly special. One can dream, right?
Source: TechCrunch