Meta Quest 3: Discuss morality and ethics with an alien AI in this sci-fi VR experience
In the VR app "When They Came For Us", you must stop an alien from enslaving you. A metaphor that makes you think.
The animal rights organization PETA has developed a new VR app called "When They Came For Us" in collaboration with technology agency Demodern. The immersive role-playing game, designed for Meta Quest 3 and Quest 2, aims to raise awareness about animal rights by putting people in the shoes of animals.
In the seven-minute scenario, you find yourself in an alien spaceship, where you must convince an overpowering alien to release you. The dialog is completely voice-controlled and generated by an AI based on ChatGPT-4, providing a dynamic and personalized gaming experience.
The app is now available for download in the Meta Horizon Store.
A surprisingly smart alien AI
I was allowed to play When They Came For Us in advance. This dark experiment takes you into the interior of a huge spaceship. Trapped in a glass cylinder, you wait to be heard by a superior species while watching other humans around you fail in their efforts to convince it.
The giant alien creature is actually able to hold a conversation with you and expose any pretense, no matter how elaborate. It's amazing how accurately and ruthlessly it argues, and how hard it points out how windy and ambiguous our moral and ethical values are when it comes to dealing with other living beings. I recommend When They Came For Us to anyone who owns a Meta Quest, without exception!
PETA uses virtual reality to promote animal welfare
"With our immersive role-playing game, we want to encourage people to think about how we treat animals and learn about the vegan lifestyle as an easy way to make positive changes," said Christian Coslar, Head of Marketing and Creative at PETA Germany.
PETA campaigns worldwide against speciesism — a form of discrimination in which animals are devalued and exploited because of their species. The animal rights organization has been using virtual reality for years to promote empathy for animals. Previous projects such as "Eye to Eye" and the VR experience "Abduction" used concepts similar to "When They Came For Us" to make the perspective of animals more tangible and reverse the balance of power.
According to Demodern, this is the first project to make extensive use of AI. Alexander El-Meligi, co-founder and managing partner of Demodern, sees new opportunities for businesses and brands: "The application impressively demonstrates the possibilities of the AI-based use of characters."
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