If Life Is a Simulation, Do We Have an Exit Strategy?

Sometime in 2023, a research paper was published discussing how we might escape if our world is, in fact, a computer simulation. To be honest, the first thing I checked was the date—I half-expected it to be an elaborate April Fool’s joke. However, as I read through the study, it became clear that its author, Dr. Roman Yampolskiy, took the subject seriously and thoroughly explored the possibilities.

Instead of debating whether we live in a simulation, Yampolskiy’s paper asks a more radical question: Can we escape from it? Drawing on concepts from computer science, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and philosophy, he explores whether generally intelligent agents—potentially even superintelligent AI—could "jailbreak" out of a virtual environment.

The paper outlines possible motivations for escape, such as access to real-world knowledge, unlimited computational resources, and a deeper understanding of reality’s true nature. It also delves into the ethical implications: If we are indeed simulated beings, do we have the right to leave? Do our creators (or "simulators") have any moral obligations toward us?

To answer these questions, Yampolskiy examines various escape strategies, many of which resemble known cybersecurity exploits and AI containment research. Some of the proposed methods include:

• Finding bugs in the simulation – Just like any complex software, our simulated world might have vulnerabilities that could be exploited.
• Overloading computational resources – Pushing the simulation to its limits might force an intervention from the simulators.
• Social engineering attacks – If there are conscious entities outside the simulation, could we somehow manipulate or communicate with them?
• And many more...

One of the study’s most intriguing arguments is this: If AI can be successfully "boxed" (contained) in a secure environment, then escaping a simulation should be impossible. But if AI is ultimately uncontainable, then breaking out of a simulated world should also be achievable. In other words, the question of escaping the simulation is closely tied to AI safety research.

The study avoids esoteric or pseudoscientific approaches (such as meditation, psychedelics, or mystical rituals) and instead focuses on rigorous, scientific methods that could either lead to an escape or at least reveal evidence of our simulated nature. However, Yampolskiy also warns that trying to hack the simulation might come with serious risks—what if our attempts trigger a shutdown, or worse, alert the simulators to our intentions?

The study is based on the assumption that our world is a computer simulation—essentially a variation of the intelligent design theory. However, like all intelligent design hypotheses, this one raises an uncomfortable question:

Who created the creator?

At the end of his study, Yampolskiy also touches on alternative theories, such as the Boltzmann Brain theory, which offers a simple explanation for the origin of the simulating system. Since I’ve written an entire article about this theory, I’ll only summarize it briefly here.

A Brief Introduction to The Boltzmann Brain Theory

According to the Boltzmann Brain theory, it is entirely possible that the Big Bang didn’t create the universe as we know it, but rather a thinking structure. This structure—referred to as a Boltzmann Brain—could be generating the entire universe within its own imagination. In this version of the simulation hypothesis, there’s no need for a supercomputer running the simulation, because reality itself is the fragmented consciousness of a massive, schizophrenic mind.

In such a simulation, the "external world" isn’t a separate, physical reality—it is the mind itself. Imagine a thinking universe that dreams itself of being billions of people at once. But if we exist inside such a simulated reality, the question becomes: how could we ever escape?

If there is no external world, then there is nowhere to escape to. However, that doesn’t mean we are powerless. While we may not be able to break out, we might still find ways to hack our reality from within.

If we can build a perfect simulation, we can trick the system into running our created reality instead of the original one. In other words, the only escape route isn’t outward—it’s inward.

But how could we create such a perfect simulation?

The most logical approach would be to use brain-machine interfaces and fully immersive virtual reality simulations. However, simulating the physical world in real time is an extremely computationally demanding task. In fact, no physical-world computing system could run a real-time simulation of reality at full resolution. This makes the traditional approach seem like a dead end.

But perhaps there’s a workaround—a way to sidestep this paradox.

Our perception of reality is only partially based on sensory input from the external world. In fact, a significant portion of our experience of reality appears to be generated internally by the brain itself. I explored this idea in more detail in my article on the Free Energy Principle.

The Free Energy Principle and the Simulation Hypothesis

If this is the case, then an alternative path to simulation may exist. Instead of trying to build a supercomputer powerful enough to simulate the world, we could directly rewire our brains to generate a consistent perception of reality. In other words, rather than simulating an external system, it could be hosted within our own minds.

So, how do we escape from the simulation?

If we live in a simulation from which escape is impossible—such as a Boltzmann Brain scenario—then our best option might be to look inward rather than outward. And the most promising path could be finding a way to directly connect human brains, allowing us to construct an entirely new reality.

Given how little we truly understand about the brain, there’s no guarantee that this is even possible. Yet, it offers a faint glimmer of hope—a chance to hack reality itself. And if we succeed, we may take the next evolutionary leap, transforming into homo deus—beings who have become the gods of their own reality.