AI Empire Builder

# AI Empire Builder

> AI Empire Tycoon · strategy simulation & coach

A deep business simulation of running an AI company — products, AI stack, hiring, funding, board, M&A and world impact — with a custom AI coach explaining every decision.

## Outcome

**Players learn the real trade-offs of running an AI company by doing it.**

- Every number can be explained, so players learn the why, not just the result
- A coach turns mistakes into next steps
- The full founder journey, from idea to exit, in one game

## Problem

Most people never get to practice the trade-offs of building an AI business — which models to run, who to hire, when to raise, how to price, and what happens when cash runs out.

## Solution

AI Empire Tycoon lets people practise the real trade-offs of running an AI company in a safe simulation. Every number can be explained, and a custom AI coach backed by curated founder sources shows why each decision helped or hurt.

| Problem | Solution |
| --- | --- |
| People can't practise AI business decisions. | Players design AI features, choose an AI stack, hire, price and raise money, with projected P&L. |
| Simulations feel like black boxes. | 'Explain' buttons and formula views show how every number is calculated. |
| Players don't know what to do next. | A custom AI advisor gives next-best-action coaching drawn from curated founder and AI-policy sources. |

## Features

- Design custom AI features and SaaS lines with projected P&L
- AI stack and infrastructure choices with real cost trade-offs
- Founder background, reputation and focus
- Interviews, hiring and team roster
- Pitching, fundraising, cap table and board reviews
- Mergers, acquisitions, fire sales, bankruptcy and exit
- Custom AI advisor, mentor prompts and next-best-action coaching
- Market events, rivals, newsroom, world map and world-impact choices
- Chapters, seasons, weekly challenges and leaderboards

## Tech stack

- TanStack Start (React SSR)
- TypeScript
- Tailwind / Radix UI
- Lovable Cloud (Postgres, auth, email)
- Lovable AI Gateway (Gemini, embeddings) via AI SDK
- Stripe
- Zustand state
- Framer Motion
- Recharts

## Notable components

- Transparent economy: formula views behind every metric
- AI coach grounded in curated sources through embeddings
- Custom AI feature designer with cost and P&L trade-offs

## Scope

- 49 game screens covering build, team, finance, fundraising, board and exit
- Full founder loop from idea to IPO, acquisition or bankruptcy
- Chapters, seasons, weekly challenges and leaderboards

## Links

- Live: https://aiempiretycoon.io

## Author

Candace Hagood · Product & Quality Leader · AI Engineering