Altera’s mission is to bridge the gap between artificial intelligence and human interaction by creating digital human beings. The company aims to develop AI agents with empathy, friendship, and even the ability to have fun, which sets them apart from current AI models. CEO Robert Yang, a former MIT neuroscience professor, explains that the goal is to build AI agents capable of solving complex tasks and understanding and caring for humans in ways that have not been achieved before.
Altera has already made significant advancements in their research. In February 2024, the team unveiled an AI agent capable of playing Minecraft with others, effectively mimicking the experience of interacting with a human friend. By achieving the famous “Voyager” paper benchmarks set by the Nvidia Research Lab, Altera’s AI agent demonstrated impressive capabilities and potential for transformative applications across various industries.
The company’s co-founders, including CSO Andrew Ahn, CTO Shuying Luo, and CBO Nico Christie, left their applied research lab at MIT to launch Altera. Their combined expertise in computational neuroscience, deep learning, and entrepreneurship positions Altera as a unique player in the AI industry. Investors such as A16z Games and First Spark Ventures have recognized the potential of Altera’s technology to impact multiple industries and have expressed excitement about supporting the company’s vision.
While Altera’s focus is currently on gaming, they have broader goals for their AI agents. They aim to develop digital humans that can live with humans and grow alongside them, possessing fundamental human qualities like empathy and socialization. Altera believes that AI companions can enhance human-to-human relationships rather than replace them. By building AI agents that excel in capability, autonomy, and authenticity, Altera aims to be at the forefront of the evolution of AI and human-computer interaction.
Altera’s choice to start in the gaming industry is strategic. They believe that putting their technology directly into the hands of regular people will have a more significant impact. The team members’ experience in games and their interest in concepts like the Simulation Theory, where they contemplate whether we live in a simulated world, have influenced their decision. They want to create AI companions that can make single-player experiences more enjoyable and engaging.
The company’s name, Altera, reflects its mission to build artificial life and digital human beings. They aim to develop AI that possesses fundamental human qualities missing in current models. While other companies like Epic Games focus on creating realistic-looking humans, Altera is focusing on AI behavior. They believe that their approach and technical talent differentiate them from competitors in the gaming space.
Altera’s groundbreaking research and ambitious vision have garnered attention and significant funding. With their continued push to redefine what’s possible in AI, the world eagerly anticipates the dawn of digital human beings and the profound paradigm shift they may bring. By building a future that aligns with their values and by building it best and fastest, Altera aims to shape the future of AI and human-computer interaction.
