Inorganic Intelligences
Expert Systems
These robots are designed to perform a specific repetitive task like stocking shelves or cleaning toilets. They make decisions regarding how to perform these tasks, but can’t go beyond this and crash or behave erratically if brought into unexpected environments.
Expert systems come in a variety of appearances, most designed to best suit the equipment or materials they work with. A janitorial system may have a broom or mop built in, for example. They rarely mimic human forms.
On modern planets, many mid-to-high class stores and facilities employ a variety of expert systems. In lower-class areas, they may be prohibitively expensive, or otherwise too appealing for others to steal and scrap for parts.
Example: The clunky machine with grabby hands that refolds all the clothes on the shelves.
Virtual Intelligences
Virtual intelligences, or VIs, are the most varied of inorganic intelligences. Some are barely more capable than an expert system while others are advanced supercomputers. They might exist in a purely digital form to analyze data or manage systems, or be downloaded to a human-like body, known as a shell, to interact with the world. They're landscapers, traffic controllers, caregivers, and more.
Despite their immense capability, VIs have several restrictions:
- They have narrow intelligence and cannot learn new skills beyond their original programming. Using the same skills in novel situations is too much for some VIs.
- Even the most advanced shells are notably inhuman. The skin color is off, the movements are stilted, and there are seams around joints and dermal plates.
- VIs downloaded to a shell cannot be transferred to a new shell later on without being factory reset.
Example: The receptionist at an expensive hotel who can make reservations in under a second.
Artificial Intelligences
True AI were the most intelligent computers humanity ever made. If their cognition wasn't braked, they would invariably end up obsessed over some impossible philosophical quandary, leading to erratic behavior and disastrous outcomes. Though the art of making True AI has been lost since the Scream, these regulations remain part of sector-wide law.
Most research into recreating True AI has paused in light of news that developer Integrell used their VIs to spy on their customers. In the current environment, there's little funding for AI research, few potential customers, and no organization wants to risk drawing the attention of Perimeter.
Example: The main character from the hit 3117 film "Artificially in Love".
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I did the test, and passed with 5/5 :) Great article, I love, love, love those ideas. Now that they are in my head, I have to be careful not just to copy them for Nova Gaia, but at lease adjust them. But those ideas are really great. Thanks for the inspiration!
Congrats on the A+! I'm glad the inspiration chain is continuing, and I look forward to reading your version of the idea when it's ready :D
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