Synthetic Minds

Artificial intelligence may take many forms, and the lines between virtual intelligence (VI), artificial intelligence, and full sentience are blurred, almost to nonexistence.

AI programming is copied from ancient, defunct models, the gaps spliced in with what very little we do know. Some bots have more emotional intelligence than others, either due to ancient programming, modern errors, or the development of self-awareness over time. Rarely, they reach the level of supreme intelligence. See the Intercessor and the Choronzon Incident for examples.

There are places within the Veda Archives which are houses of ancient stores of code - complete gibberish to humans but religiously profound for androids. Many become sentient after accessing them, and not all of them tell anyone about it. Ever since the Choronzon Incident, access is universally prohibited and carefully monitored.

Persian law states every human-appearing synthetic must be marked with a thin blue line tracing their face.

Hierarchy of Synthetic Intelligences
protocol = low intelligences, created by humans by a conglomeration of different codes

androids = several fused protocols into one creature which acts and looks human.

spirits = midling intelligences, typically kept in ancient talismans

theurgs = godlike intelligences often praised by humans