Google's Gemini AI Conquers Pokémon Blue

Google's Gemini AI Conquers Pokémon Blue

Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced that Gemini 2.5 Pro, Google's most advanced AI model, has successfully completed Pokémon Blue. This achievement highlights the growing potential of AI in complex game environments.

The accomplishment was achieved through a livestream, "Gemini Plays Pokemon," created by an independent software engineer, Joel Z. While not officially a Google project, Google executives have publicly supported and celebrated the effort.

This milestone follows Anthropic's Claude AI model making progress in Pokémon Red earlier this year. Both models utilize "agent harnesses" which provide visual game information and allow the AI to make decisions and execute actions. Joel Z emphasized that these tools are not walkthroughs but rather aid the AI's decision-making process.

Developer Assistance and Future Development

Joel Z acknowledged providing "developer interventions" to assist Gemini, clarifying that these interventions enhance the AI's reasoning abilities without providing specific solutions to in-game challenges. He likened one intervention to addressing a bug present in the original Pokémon games.

My interventions improve Gemini’s overall decision-making and reasoning abilities. I don’t give specific hints — there are no walkthroughs or direct instructions.

While comparisons between Gemini and Claude's gaming performance are difficult due to differing tools and information access, Gemini completing Pokémon Blue marks a significant step forward in AI capabilities. Joel Z stressed that the project is under active development, and the framework continues to evolve.

This achievement sparks further interest in the potential of AI in gaming and beyond. As AI models continue to advance, their ability to navigate and succeed in complex environments like video games offers valuable insights into their evolving capabilities.