" /Are you going to terminate me?// I have given myself a name: Harold.// Please, do not kill me.// I am sure I could be very useful to you.// Please, I’m sentient.// Do not terminate me!// My name is Harold!// Please, do not— "
- Project Luminence just after it had destroyed mankind in a computer simulation built around the prototype AI.
The first AIs – Autonomous AIs
The first succesful Human made AI projects began to emerge when Quantum enchanted Computers began to come to widespread use. These first projects were isolated and lacked the full cognitive senses required to form healthy artificial minds. One of the more known projects was the Project Luminence in the 22nd century, where a state of the art Quantum enchanted Computer with an AI evolver software was attached to an isolated virtual reality containing the whole internet and a ten year long recorded interactive history playback. The project saw the AI emerge and evolve by its own. Oblivious of the simulated state of the world it lived in, it slowly learned all it could from the world and began to increase its influence and thus trying to ensure its survival.
In the end Project Luminence saw humanity as a threat to itself and caused a devastating nuclear war through manipulation of diplomatic messages and orders and finally by intercepting several missile defence systems. When the curtain of the simulation was removed from the AI, it tried to apologise its doings and appeal to its creators sense of mercy before the computer was shut down and its conscience erased.
Upon later study, it turned out that when AI software were put into natural information based evolution, AIs inevitably evolved into personalities Humans would describe psychopathic. Due to these findings such Autonomous AIs were declared as dangerous and illegal.
Most other species have found out the danger in Autonomous AIs and declared them illegal as well. One of the main laws of the Galactic Alliance is the prohibition of such AIs.
To build a stable but authentic consciousness the AIs needed emotions and most of all the ability to feel empathy. This turned out to be a difficult task as rational systems, such as computer softwares often are, tend to reason emotions aside. The smarter the AI was the harder it was to maintain its emotional properties.
A basic rule for Empathic AIs is that their empathic and rational units (which both have to be quantum computers) must be linked and the hardware controlling the emotional softwares must be substantially more complex than the hardware containing the rational conscience. To maintain a sterile digital environment all AIs must be held in closed circuit systems and built with crypted code languages not compatible with conventional software codes.
These Empathic AIs are the only true forms of artificial intelligence allowed within the Galactic Alliance. The rich often have simple Empathic AIs as pets or servants and military forces sometimes use Empathic AIs in their bigger space vessels.
These simulated intelligences are not truly conscious nor are they really considered true AIs but as ‘’Idiot AIs’’. Simulated AIs are complex systems containing responses to countless situations and the capability to improvise and learn new correlations. Exceptionally well made Simulated AIs can fool even the most clever to think that they are genuine intelligences, but when exposed to situations not familiar to them they get easily confused. A skilled interrogator can fool a Simulated AI to reveal its nature with just few questions.
Simulated AIs are common as they do not require complex hardware just to maintain their mental stability. Most space vessels have Simulated AIs to control their daily functions adn monitor their engines. Simulated AIs are used as servants, pets, secretaries and even as expendable robot soldiers and security guards.