AI is learning how to play Super Mario Kart on a real SNES – it’s already better than many of us and you can watch it learn live

Whether the world needs Artificial Intelligence that can play Super Mario Kart is one thing, but SMK expert and SNES hacker MrL314 has set his PC the task of learning to play the game for itself using an evolutionary algorithm he has called LuAEgi.

The program is learning to play Super Mario Kart on a real Super Nintendo by trying, and retrying each corner and straight to find the optimal way through the course.

Ordinarily, we would just hear about these things but this one is different as MrL314 is streaming LuEAgi’s learning process live on Twitch for the next few days, so it’s possible to watch what’s happening in real time. At the moment that is largely watching the PC incessantly crash into a corner and then restart and try again. Interestingly, on occasion, the Kart will get much further and be able to take a couple of corners before coming unstuck.

Meet LuEAgi, a program that learns to play Super Mario Kart with minimal information via an evolutionary algorithm! The best part? You can watch it learn LIVE!