Imagine stepping into a video where you’re not just a passive viewer but an active participant, exploring a world that responds to your every move in real-time.
This isn’t a scene from Star Trek’s Holodeck — it’s the latest breakthrough from Odyssey, an AI lab that’s pushing the boundaries of what video can be.
Launched on May 28, 2025, Odyssey’s new technology, dubbed “interactive video,” lets users watch and interact with AI-generated worlds, and it’s already making waves as a glimpse into the future of entertainment.
You can try it yourself for free at odyssey.world, provided there are enough GPUs available to power the experience.
A New Kind of Video Experience
Odyssey’s innovation is built on a cutting-edge world model, a type of AI that generates and streams video frames every 40 milliseconds, reacting to user actions in real-time. Unlike traditional video models that produce fixed clips, this world model predicts the next state of the environment based on the user’s inputs, past states, and actions.
The result is a dynamic, responsive world that feels more like a simulation than a conventional video. Users can navigate these AI-generated environments using a keyboard, touchscreen, or joystick, exploring spaces that adapt as they move.
The technology runs on clusters of Nvidia H100 GPUs in the U.S. and Europe, streaming up to 30 frames per second at a cost of $1 to $2 per user-hour. Odyssey compares the experience to the Holodeck from Star Trek, and while the current preview isn’t perfect, it’s a groundbreaking first step.
The visuals, reminiscent of 1990s video game graphics, are generated entirely by AI without relying on traditional game engines. Despite the retro aesthetic, the model achieves impressive feats: realistic pixel generation, spatial consistency, and the ability to stream coherent video for over five minutes.
What’s Already Here?
Odyssey’s initial research preview, available now, offers a taste of what’s possible:
- Realistic Graphics and Spatial Logic: The AI generates pixels that feel lifelike and maintains consistent spatial relationships, making the world feel cohesive as you explore.
- Live Reactions to Actions: Whether you’re walking, turning, or interacting, the environment responds in real-time via inputs from your device.
- Powered by H100 GPU Clusters: The tech leverages high-performance GPUs to deliver this experience across the U.S. and Europe.
- Free Access (GPU Permitting): Anyone can test the demo for free, though access depends on available computing resources.
Posts on X reflect excitement about the technology, with users describing it as a “glitchy dream” that hints at a future where the Holodeck becomes reality. However, the preview isn’t flawless.
The visuals are blurry, and the environments can be unstable—turn around, and the layout might shift unexpectedly. Odyssey acknowledges these limitations, noting that the experience feels raw but is a foundation for what’s to come.
Also read:
- ElevenLabs Pays Out Over $5 Million to Voice Actors and Creators: A New Era of Passive Income
- AI That Blackmails: Reality or Fiction?
- The New Beauty Threat: People Are Turning to ChatGPT Instead of Cosmetologists
The Matrix on the Horizon
What sets Odyssey apart from other AI video models is its focus on interactivity. Traditional generative video tools create static clips, but Odyssey’s world model simulates a living environment, predicting and adapting to user actions.
This approach brings us closer to a true “world simulator,” where pixels and interactions could one day feel indistinguishable from reality.
The company envisions a future where interactive video transforms entertainment, education, and more, allowing stories to be generated and explored on demand without the constraints of traditional production.
Looking ahead, Odyssey is already working on improvements. They’re researching richer world representations, better temporal stability, and expanded interaction capabilities.
If their progress continues, we might find ourselves stepping into a fully immersive “Matrix” within a year — provided the GPU supply keeps up.
For now, Odyssey’s interactive video is a fascinating, if imperfect, glimpse into a future where the lines between video, gaming, and reality blur. Welcome to the Matrix, indeed.
