DevConf.CZ 2025

How I Built an AI to Beat the 1990s Arcade Game Double Dragon
2025-06-12 , D105 (capacity 300)

In this hands-on presentation, learn how Python, Kubernetes, and practical programming came together to build an AI capable of beating the iconic 1990s arcade game, Double Dragon. Instead of complex AI theory, this talk shares an accessible story about how developers can leverage familiar tools to achieve remarkable results.

You'll see how I programmed an AI to interact directly with the game using PyBoy, a Python-based emulator specifically designed for seamless integration with Python scripts. Highlights include:

  • Creating and deploying the PyBoy emulator within Kubernetes, enabling scalable and repeatable AI training sessions. I'll demonstrate containerizing PyBoy, managing Kubernetes resources efficiently, and ensuring consistent, reproducible training environments.

  • Designing effective reward systems in Python to guide the AI toward mastering complex game scenarios. We'll dive into how reward structures were crafted to incentivize strategic gameplay behaviors, ensuring the AI learns efficiently and effectively.

  • Highlighting the AI’s victory, showcasing in real-time how it outperformed human players. You'll witness live demonstrations of the trained AI conquering increasingly challenging game scenarios, demonstrating the power and practicality of integrating Python and Kubernetes.

This session offers relatable insights into how developers can practically implement AI in projects using open-source tools and accessible programming practices.


What level of experience should the audience have to best understand your session?

Beginner - no experience needed

Christopher Nuland is a Principal Technical Marketing Manager for AI at Red Hat and has been with the company for over six years. Before Red Hat, he focused on machine learning and big data analytics for companies in the finance and agriculture sectors. Once coming to Red Hat, he specialized in cloud native migrations, metrics-driven transformations, and the deployment and management of modern AI platforms as a Senior Architect for Red Hat’s consulting services, working almost exclusively with Fortune 50 companies until recently moving into his current role. Christopher has spoken worldwide on AI at conferences like KubeCon EU/US and Red Hat’s Summit events.

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