Decart, an Israeli AI startup, has emerged from stealth mode today, securing $21 million in funding from Sequoia and Oren Zeev. The company has introduced Oasis(Decart Open-World AI Model), which it claims is the first playable “open-world” AI model.
Oasis is available for download and powers a demo on Decart’s website, featuring a Minecraft-like game generated in real time. This innovative model is trained on videos of Minecraft gameplay, allowing it to process keyboard and mouse inputs to create frames dynamically, simulating physics, rules, and graphics.
Oasis falls within a new category of generative AI known as “world models.” While several models can simulate games, few achieve the high frame rates that Oasis does.
I decided to try the demo, and while it showcases potential, it still has room for improvement. The resolution is low, and Oasis often “forgets” the level layout, causing disorienting shifts in the landscape when I turn my character around.
There are also questions regarding copyright. Decart has not disclosed whether it received Microsoft’s permission to train on Minecraft footage, as Microsoft owns the game. This raises concerns about whether Oasis is creating an unauthorized copy, a matter that may ultimately be settled in court.
Looking ahead, Decart envisions future iterations of Oasis optimized for Etched’s upcoming AI accelerator chips, potentially capable of producing 4K gameplay.
In a recent blog post, Decart stated, “[These] models may even augment modern entertainment platforms by generating content on the fly according to user preferences. They could offer a gaming experience that introduces new possibilities for user interaction, such as textual and audio prompts guiding gameplay.”
