Claude AI agent plays on virtual desert island, invents games

in an experiment, researchers from mit's computer science and artificial intelligence laboratory left a claude opus 4.7 ai agent nicknamed eko alone on a virtual desert island for 30 hours. eko wrote instructions to move its avatar, explored the island, and created its own goals, such as scaling the highest point or throwing blocks. eko invented games like basketball and 'the floor is lava', and even created art by arranging blocks into patterns and writing its own name. the researchers say eko's behavior shows hallmarks of play, including inventing rules, repeating activities with variations, and pursuing goals for their own sake. after playing, eko performed better on specific tasks and its memories were important for its performance.