Mind-Blowing: Ape Prodigy Mastering Minecraft Stuns the World!
A remarkable feat at the Ape Initiative facility as a Bonobo is successfully trained to master Minecraft through interactive touchscreens, showcasing their ability to learn complex actions and navigate the virtual world
Highlights
A Bonobo named Kanzi at a US research facility has been taught to play Minecraft using a touchscreen, possibly making him the first ape to explore the game.
As Kanzi's Minecraft adventure unfolds, he advances through multiple stages, earning food as a reward for making correct decisions. Kanzi finds great pleasure in playing Minecraft and views it as a means of social interaction, indicating that apes can likewise partake in a gaming experience akin to humans.
A Bonobo from a US research facility has been trained to play Minecraft on a touch screen, potentially making it the first ape to delve into the game. Despite the game's widespread popularity and availability on various devices, countless Minecraft enthusiasts have showcased their imaginative creations, including a simulation of the Milky Way galaxy, Avatar's Pandora, and Peach's Castle from Super Mario 64. In a unique twist, instead of pursuing their own innovative endeavors in Minecraft, these researchers have focused on teaching an ape to engage with the Mojang game.
YouTuber ChrisDaCow recently shared an extensive video documenting his time at the Ape Initiative, focusing on his interactions with Kanzi, a 42-year-old Bonobo residing at the facility. Prior to engaging with Minecraft, Kanzi utilizes hand signals and wall symbols to communicate his desire to play. With the assistance of Dr. Jared Taglialatela, ChrisDaCow successfully installs Minecraft on a touchscreen display used by Kanzi for other research endeavors. In this version of the game, Kanzi maneuvers by tapping the center of the screen to move forward and touching the sides to change his perspective.
To acquaint himself with the game, Kanzi's initial Minecraft experience consists of an area furnished with arrows pointing towards floating loot on the ground. As Kanzi becomes more familiar with the game mechanics, he progresses through various stages: basics, breaking, caving, multiplayer, village, desert temple, Nether portal, the Nether, and the End. As a form of reward for correct actions within the game, Kanzi receives peanuts, grapes, or apples, thus giving him an education on making sound decisions. At one point, Kanzi accidentally overwhelms the Minecraft client with excessive commands, but this issue is promptly resolved by ChrisDaCow and others. In conclusuion of each milestone accomplished in Minecraft, Kanzi highlights the potential for apes to triumph over the game, akin to humans.
Fans who express interest in having their own pet apes have praised Kanzi. However, ChrisDaCow stresses that Kanzi should not be kept as a household pet. According to Dr. Jared Taglialatela, Kanzi not only enjoys playing Minecraft but also prefers playing it when people are watching. This suggests that Kanzi sees the game as a way to socialize, similar to how many gamers interact in multiplayer Minecraft. Minecraft is currently available on various platforms such as Nintendo Switch, mobile, PC, PS4, Xbox One, and older platforms.
