New routes to be set by AI

New plug-in for ChatGPT-4 makes the future of routesetting a reality

Today we're very excited to announce a new dawn in climbing, as AI turns its formidable power to the world of routesetting. We've already started to see how AIs are starting to change the world around us in fields like education and healthcare, but ChatGPT-4's new foray into climbing feels like the moment we'll point back to when talking about when The Future really began.

One of the plug-ins released by ChatGPT-4 this week has been with the route-setting app Nevera6A, a UK company based in Sheffield that we've been working with behind the scenes for about 12 months. The app allows routesetters to take 3D scans of a library of climbing holds, and then ask for bouldering problems in different styles and grades to be created, all from the comfort of their sofas.

Until now, this process has been incredibly complex, requiring an in-depth knowledge of computer coding, but with the new ChatGPT-4 plug-in that has all changed. Now, routesetters can just ask ChatGPT-4 to set routes in plain English, with the request pushed through Nevera6A and returned as an annotated jpeg by the AI.

We've been setting routes using the new software all week, and the results have been so good that we've decided to make all new routes at the centre 100% AI-generated from today!

Example prompts that have already yielded classic problems include:

"Design me a competition route that uses only deceptively slopey holds in Pink on the Comp Wall. It should look totally possible from the ground, but in fact be unclimbable by humans"

"Design me a route in Yellow. Start underneath the Duck, using only Bauer moves to gain the top. Should be around 6A, or 6C+ if you've never climbed trad"

As you can see, the possibilities are endless, and we're excited to see where the new technology takes us. In addition, this opens up the world of routesetting to anyone who talks a good game about climbing and enjoys watching people suffer, without actually needing to be able to do any of the moves themselves. If that sounds like you (or a friend you know), get in touch.

For an informational video about how the process works in practice, head to the Nevera6A x ChatGPT-4 YouTube page now.

UPDATE: after further testing, it seems that every route the AI wants to build is a crack climb. It insists this is the pinnacle and future of all climbing, but we're not sure the world is ready. We'll try again in 12 months, next April 1st 😂.

Image credit: DALL-E 2