'This is probably what Task Manager would look like (and sound like) if I were still around,' says ex-Microsoft dev Dave Plummer about his synthwave-pounding AI dashboard

Dave Plummer, the man known for his work with Task Manager and Windows Pinball, has recently taken to Twitter to share what a modern version of his Task Manager would look like, and it's… interesting.

Well, more accurately, he shared the dashboard for his Tempest AI, saying, "This is probably what Task Manager would look like (and sound like) if I were still around. Which is why it's a good thing I knew to stay in my lane, design-wise."

The dashboard in question has a smattering of graphs, two speedometer-style gauges, and an almost Cyberpunk-style theming. It's a bit messy, and perhaps the best/worst part is the music—a pounding synthwave/rave/glitch track.

It's all over the top, in a way that would be far too much for any task manager I'd want to use. At least Plummer is self-aware about it. There's a web version of the dashboard live right now (and yes, you can turn the audio off). Just four days ago, the dashboard looked far less gauche.

If you're wondering what Tempest AI is, it's more or less what it says on the tin. Dave Plummer has been working on an AI that is trained on the old arcade game Tempest to, well, play Tempest.

Tempest is published by Atari, and it launched in 1981. It used the then-budding QuadraScan vector technology and emulated 3D movement, which made it rather difficult.

Plummer said last year, "You might wonder why I chose Tempest for this AI project. It's not because Tempest is an easy game. Far from it. Tempest is a beast to master with fast-paced action and complex patterns. Its spinning 3D playfield and relentless enemies make every second a test of skill and reflexes. But here's the thing. I've been hooked on it for more than 40 years."

He's not lying. Plummer holds a world record for his score in the game. "Most humans are notoriously bad at the game, and it's a tough challenge for an AI to crack, which is precisely why it's perfect for this project", he says.

In fairness, given that the AI is built to play a retro game, the Tempest AI dashboard is fittingly retro—even if I'd never want to use it on my PC.