Debates over AI benchmarking have reached Pokémon
April 15, 2025 — Tokyo, Japan
In an unexpected twist in the world of artificial intelligence research, debates over AI benchmarking have officially entered the realm of Pokémon. Researchers, developers, and game enthusiasts are now clashing over how AI performance should be evaluated when applied to complex, strategy-rich games like Pokémon.
The controversy began when several leading AI labs began using competitive Pokémon battle simulators—like Pokémon Showdown—to test and showcase the intelligence of their new models. Unlike fast-paced reflex games such as StarCraft or Dota 2, Pokémon battles involve deep decision-making, long-term strategy, and probabilistic outcomes, making them fertile ground for AI evaluation.
However, the use of Pokémon as a benchmark has sparked a wider debate in the AI community: What truly defines intelligence in gameplay, and how do we ensure fairness and consistency across testing?
“Pokémon offers a fascinating environment because it challenges both tactical planning and adaptation under uncertainty,” said Dr. Lina Matsuda, an AI researcher at Kyoto University. “But it’s also incredibly complex, with over 900 creatures, thousands of move combinations, and countless scenarios. That makes standardized benchmarking extremely difficult.”
Critics argue that the game’s reliance on randomness—like critical hits and move accuracy—makes it a flawed choice for AI evaluation. Others note that certain AI models are trained specifically on the game’s meta, leading to overfitting rather than general intelligence.
“Some AI models are simply learning to exploit known trends in human playstyles,” explained Arjun Singh, an independent developer. “That doesn’t prove true intelligence or creativity—it just proves pattern recognition.”
Meanwhile, the Pokémon community has taken a keen interest in the debate. Some players have welcomed AI challengers, using them as training tools or curiosity-driven experiments. Others are less enthusiastic, worrying that bots may alter the competitive ecosystem or devalue the human mastery of the game.
Even Game Freak, the original developer of the Pokémon franchise, has acknowledged the trend. In a recent press release, the company stated it is “closely observing the use of Pokémon in AI research” and hinted at possible collaborations with tech companies to explore AI-driven experiences in future titles.
As AI continues to push the boundaries of what machines can do, its involvement in games—especially ones as culturally beloved as Pokémon—is likely to raise more questions than answers. What is certain, however, is that the world of AI benchmarking just got a lot more colorful.