# A Microsoft researcher built a goat-powered LLM in Age of Empires II to prove it's not sentient

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-06-22 07:07 UTC · Category: Technology

## Executive Summary
A Microsoft researcher is utilizing goats within Age of Empires II to challenge prevailing assumptions about the sentience of large language models.

## Intelligence Brief
A researcher associated with Microsoft has constructed a functional neural network using goats as building blocks inside the video game Age of Empires II. This project serves as a critique of the methodology used to attribute human-like characteristics or consciousness to artificial intelligence systems.


Coverage from outlets including PC Gamer, Gizmodo, The Decoder, Windows Central, Tom's Hardware, 404 Media, XDA, and quasa.io emphasizes that the demonstration is intended to highlight the absurdity of assuming LLMs behave like humans simply because they are trained on natural language. A joint paper with York University accompanying the project further examines how researchers attribute humanity to these models.


Future developments depend on the academic reception of the paper released by Microsoft and York University. It remains to be seen how the broader scientific community will respond to this critique of AI consciousness paradigms as defined by the researcher.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| quasa.io | Microsoft and York University Paper Challenges How We Attribute "Humanity" to LLMs | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipgFBVV95cUxQX1VrUkpVbnJYb1NfR09vcFI0bVh0ZXVyQ2pweUJzQUhFQjNDM3ltRkJnSWkwb3ZEV2RGZkRjTzlCOFJUOHhfRksyc2EyNWJBSW9FUWlEN0c3MEFhdjhRVk04elRpZkE0YmdaQkh2VXZIeVFCOGdQcS1PMDl1Q3duRlY3anpId1RJSGxNQzd1Xy11UjNpZXM4SnQ4OUNfVnNyeGp1TnJB?oc=5) |
| PC Gamer | Microsoft researcher builds goat-powered neural network in Age of Empires 2 to show why we should 'stop assuming that LLMs behave like humans just because they were trained with natural language' | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMizwJBVV95cUxQcmV6WUNBVThnQlhPVXhoS3RfQ2hmblZJNE1LOGhDZkFWTjBFemFiS2JHWGc4ZlZsOXVfUUFMbE14bkZrQmVEQWs2Yk1qX1JZNW5sbGREZFRNN2c3UkRPVnRsVGU1MjNITUZDd0pOT29aWVNrUTlSNThUQTNwRmFjNzlxWlhkNW43eUVYSlBhNDZFSzlnQUZ0TERkMndNa2oxbzhreFZSZTB6WXJnRC1jdEJwVUJNVFhLak5Kd0N2TE9EWU5OZFRWOVpVMmRMNi04YUVyRmpQWTVSV1JETDBYbHVSM3otdkVYQmVYdGRGR01NcDR1QjgybERYd25SN19CX0NiU3l3Zm5iTkcydXBZUGlLUVN3bDdpalBZeEJ5VVZOZVUzS1BfTV92YWQ5aGIzZmZROXRRMFFIeUhvMHJTRXBzdThtSlVWMDU4NmgxNA?oc=5) |
| Gizmodo | Frustrated Microsoft Researcher Uses Goats in 'Age of Empires II' to Demo the Absurdity of LLMs | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwgFBVV95cUxNVlNqWUxzOVhXVy16TDhETmo5SlRBTjR0QUVZRmVqSmt0TlpFZDQ5WTBHWGZidzdqdDFnOE9SNmpxRHBDeHJMWUpoMWlBMmNuRThGRzFVVi1XZ3BMR2NfMlBGOGxCU0pzYXdtNy1fLUNDWHhmVldwbk56Q1ZiRWh4N1JJRlNfMG5rS09idFRIeU1BRUQxRDFRd0dyM09hR2pvS1Zubjh1aWZwRi1JLWZ4b2hOY3BITDQ1MzVteTlacVBvUQ?oc=5) |
| The Decoder | Microsoft researcher builds a working neural network out of goats in Age of Empires II to critique AI science | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMizwFBVV95cUxQVEhDdVlJZGdyN2FzTURiaXRtSXNwdFc0TFppWU9IOHhJUVNFRXlxdVdtQURoUFJkcEZyaGNkVk1YUUlyX2pXd2pYRGdoVDEyWkVyTmJoaFdwZExxUGV1clJ5VHNBMklJTW5aT2xyU2tZcHZGc0hZSVJ2SlNINlByanJHaE5YYy1YYjFGdlE1RlhnWndZeUNFZWVYOFNleEN3RExPNkZidDJlQVlndTZyd1RSM043T2M2NnJSNUhNZGVuOHN2VjcwQ2lCc1BlN0E?oc=5) |
| Windows Central | An Age of Empires II fan wrote a full essay on human attributes, and it’s a surprisingly thoughtful read | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipwFBVV95cUxOMllyMl8zd1F4MTdXV2k4RG82czM2WVpkazZ0alF3RG5NbkNvZXBPNGhhTGRYekhiU3RNUDgySG1qQV9UYUdJNE81YlFLeGdORWlRLXZKVmlvWnRsUFl3MnBIWGk3MGx1aEs4OGJQRG16NXVVb01kLUxQTS1GX2x4UmREZUxSbXkzOHg3bHluR1hrM2tXWWZKV0xDdi1wbWdFelJjVzVKMA?oc=5) |
| Tom's Hardware | Age of Empires II’s goats used as AI building blocks to build a neural network — goaty experiment mocks the idea of chatbot consciousness, Microsoft AI researcher’s project makes an absurdist point about AI consciousness | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilANBVV95cUxPUWRIeTllenNLcUxNM2gxVXJRc1QzcUc3bnNUUF95N084LVkzcHV6ejZGdWpncVU5OElZX3lOZ3liYWJYTGdqb0MxdTg0OHZXTzY5Q3hBWWszMXF1YjI2YVdBeDVmQkp5R19GRHhQYlVYS1BOTGw3Vm9iczZPSHRGdmlWbnRla1plQUVYaUdZdE5UazJqMFJjVmVUZGM1Vk9YSlBEc3Q4Z3dlc2VqaFFZVUdnREhqeE9lSWtJVnNBVzczbXRWblE4Zy1KWm5ld3RxQ0k1MDN0blB0MHFOaW9tTzlRV01KejBlSU05aGdvSF9nTVdZVm1qbGsydUZySFpFcWhEcmgwWWF6NTFpSmVLV3dRMmpBOVMydllIZ2hpX09uMkVqWU14R05zaEI2MWFrbGpMQWFQLWdLcDFqSEloYWo3OVpCVk9QNk5YVkNzQkRJRFFqVGd) |
| 404 Media | If AI Is Sentient Then So Is ‘Age of Empires II’ | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMie0FVX3lxTE9zMmdEYU53TXhETU9NOGNMNy1OejkxTDJxMUpIUjRzS3JLTTdQQ21MQk1Ud0pVbXlfLW5ORWJTYW1fdk5BcjNjS3hyeHIxWWZvOWZST0dpQnRMbTc5a0QxT1d4R203a0hhUVJURjlOdlF5aVhJN3VudnVycw?oc=5) |
| XDA | A Microsoft researcher built a goat-powered LLM in Age of Empires II to prove it's not sentient | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwAFBVV95cUxONG1qaWFVU1prQUkxSEM5akI5VXd4aUtXZmFNQ0xBTzZ2TXFmODVxWWpTY3N0dDFiMmFMQTBZX1NPb001ZXk4THFaeGVkQkVQMkctcjJwbW5mN21GRDIxUmdidmF4SnJCaUdKb25xclVSbV9TR2lpMHhmVHFzOXZ3LVRuWjZ2Um1KOHd2aGF2ajJrQW9nWEYya19SelNyRXk2dXN3am1MaC1ubmJPSklfOXpmZTk0WVNrT2ZTREtsRnE?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-06-22/a-microsoft-researcher-built-a-goat-powered-llm-in-age-of-empires-ii-to-prove*