Genie 4(deepmind.google)
941 points by acossta 21 hours ago | 543 comments
tl;dr: Google DeepMind announced Genie 4, a real-time interactive world model that generates photorealistic simulations with native audio, including ambient sound and interactive dialogue. It integrates with Gemini models (notably Gemini 3.8 Flash as a guiding agent) to enable multi-step reasoning, physics simulation, and natural-language scene editing, with applications in robotics training, game prototyping, and filmmaking pre-visualization. Currently released as a research preview to trusted testers and rolling out to Google AI Ultra subscribers, it still has limitations around long-term coherence, object permanence, and complex physical interactions.
HN Discussion:
  • ↓Model lacks true world consistency, showing object permanence failures when things leave frame
  • ↑Despite flaws, this represents impressive progress compared to AI video just years ago
  • ↓Specific capability claims (audio, photorealism) don't match the actual demo outputs
  • ↓Skepticism about claimed applications like robot training given unrealistic simulation
  • ↓Generative AI has yet to produce genuinely moving or creatively valuable cultural artifacts