Google DeepMind uses 7‑hour role‑playing game to explore AI’s impact on science
Google DeepMind’s Strategic Foresight team runs a seven‑hour role‑playing simulation called Science 2030. The game brings together roughly 50 external participants – government officials, industry leaders and members of the scientific community – and divides them into three government teams (modeled on middle‑power countries), three industry teams and five science‑community teams. Players…
Key points
- DeepMind’s “Science 2030” role‑playing game runs for seven hours with about 50 participants from government, industry and science.
- Players report the game is more informative and engaging than traditional policy briefings or roundtables.
- The game forces trade‑offs among concerns, R&D strategy and AI‑for‑science technologies, showing differing national priorities.
According to the hosts Zoë Brammer and Ankur Vora, participants consistently rate the experience as more informative and engaging than traditional policy briefings or roundtables. Post‑game surveys show new collaboration opportunities and higher trust among attendees, with regional differences emerging – for example, UK teams focus on medicine while Singapore teams prioritize smart‑city and materials research. The exercise also highlights the difficulty of sustaining long‑term science investment when public opinion and emerging concerns shift rapidly, underscoring the need for scientists who can bridge technology and policy.
The initiative was co‑developed with the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) and the charity Technology Strategy Roleplay, and aims to build shared social capital for future AI‑driven scientific breakthroughs.
How a board game helps Google DeepMind plan for AI in science
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