Coachella transformed its 2026 festival into an AI innovation hub, collaborating with Google DeepMind on experimental tools. These projects aim to reshape how artists create and fans experience live entertainment.
The core of the experiments lies in "world models," advanced AI systems capable of generating interactive digital environments. Coachella's innovation team developed three prototypes using Google DeepMind’s Project Genie platform during the festival.
One tool, "Turning Performances Into Interactive Experiences," captures live shows and reconstructs them as explorable 3D environments. Initial tests involved recording a Quasar stage set, capturing lighting, audio, visuals, and crowd movement to recreate the performance in Unreal Engine. This technology could enable "living archives" of performances, allowing fans to revisit shows from various perspectives or view real-time generated visuals.
A second prototype offers a stage-design tool for artists. Performers can upload visuals or use prompts to visualize show aesthetics on 3D models of Coachella stages, simulating different times of day and crowd conditions. This aims to provide production capabilities typically accessible only to artists with substantial budgets.
The third project is a mobile game, Coachella vs. The Game, where players navigate digital worlds themed around festival artists. This offers fans an interactive way to explore the lineup before the event.
Coachella selected Google DeepMind for its leading visual AI capabilities and an established relationship. The festival has a history of integrating new technologies, including past experiments with AR, NFTs, and blockchain games like Coachella Quests on Avalanche.