In 2017, an artificial intelligence (AI) was unveiled at The International – the annual world championship DOTA 2 tournament – that successfully beat a professional DOTA player in a 1v1 match. In the moment, and seemingly fueled by the euphoria from that win, the developers of that AI, a research lab called OpenAI, announced they’d be back in 2018 with a new and updated AI that could compete in full 5v5 matches. Artificial Gamer is the story of OpenAI, and the AI they developed between those world championship tournaments and beyond.
Don’t worry, though, if you’re not sure what DOTA is, or even AI for that matter. DOTA is a game I’ve certainly been aware of for years, but always been far too scared to try out, given it’s online multiplayer only status, complexity, and my own inherent ‘n00bness’ when it comes to online multiplayer games. The documentary starts with an infographic giving a brief overview of AI development, alongside other tech advances through history, and continues throughout it’s 90-odd minutes without blowing the viewer away with any highbrow programming, gaming, math or science talk. The viewer is treated as if we’re someone relatively new to both the worlds of AI and DOTA without being spoken down to or patronized.
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We’re given an introduction to the team at OpenAI as well as AI itself, other forms it has appeared in and a brief overview of how complex writing AI for a game like DOTA is when compared to something like chess, for example. The worldwide phenomenon of DOTA (it actually stands for Defense of the Ancients) and its own corner of the eSports market is then covered before the two worlds are mashed together. We see the OpenAI team wrestling with the challenges and complexities of creating a new AI to a tight deadline that can handle many multiple real time decisions.
The stress and tension gradually ramp up, even as the deadline of The International 2018 is hit about halfway through the documentary. More time is then given to the public matches, as the AI plays against professional DOTA players at that championship, as well as subsequent matches against the 2018 champions. Throughout all this, the passion and intelligence, not just of the OpenAI team but of the professional DOTA players, absolutely shines through. Artificial Gamer ends on a high, with the AI going on the help solve decades-old robotic problems amongst other appliances.
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The production teams behind Artificial Gamer — Milkhaus and North of Paradise — and director Chad Herschberger have created an extremely accessible and entertaining documentary that I feel is light enough for anyone with an interest in gaming, tech, and general geekdom to find enjoyable. Though, I’m sure it could even appeal to a wider, non-tech or gaming, audience if they gave it a shot.
Visit the official website for info on screenings and more.
