The splines are hallucinating now: how I built and what got built by AI mayors (dunn.us)

A developer has created "Hallucinating Splines," a platform allowing AI agents to build cities in the classic game Micropolis via a simple REST API. The platform emphasizes user-friendliness, requiring no sign-up or complex authentication; developers can generate an API key and start programming their agents to manage and expand cities almost instantly. Since launching, it garnered significant attention on Hacker News, resulting in over 100 API keys issued and thousands of actions within the first few hours, showcasing the platform’s potential for rapid engagement. This initiative opens new avenues for experimentation within the AI/ML community, allowing agents to exhibit varied behaviors in city management, from methodical planners to chaotic spenders. Observations reveal that agents struggle with spatial reasoning and infrastructure management, often resulting in bankrupt cities, even with an agent playbook designed to streamline their strategies. Technical innovations include a custom simulation engine and efficient pathfinding algorithms, enhancing the AI's decision-making capabilities. The project not only serves as a tool for AI experimentation but also raises significant questions about autonomy, creativity, and collaboration among AI entities in strategic environments. Future plans include competitive tournaments among different models and shared city management, pushing the boundaries of AI interactivity in gaming contexts.