My Custom AI Went Superhuman Yesterday...
Summary
This video details the process of building an AI that mastered a complex video game, explaining advanced machine learning concepts such as prioritized replay, attention mechanisms, and polar coordinates in a 1-million-parameter model. It serves as an excellent case study for students and educators learning AI and ML, demonstrating the practical application of sophisticated techniques to solve challenging problems and achieve breakthroughs.
Description
I spent a year building an AI to master the hardest version of Tempest ever made… and yesterday it beat my official world record. What started as a stubborn engineering experiment turned into a full-blown machine learning breakthrough, complete with 15 million frames of gameplay, a custom MAME socket bridge, prioritized replay, and the two changes that finally cracked the plateau: attention and polar coordinates. Here’s how a 1-million-parameter model went from clueless to superhuman — and what it taught me about building AI that actually works. Live Training Dashboard: http://davepl.com:8765
