Infomorphs

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Revision as of 13:55, 19 July 2012

AIs are artificial intelligence software running on computers. AI refers to the capacity for sentience and intelligent action, but not necessarily self-awareness. AI labor is partially responsible for the increases in global productivity characteristic of the last half-century.

AIs is a function primarily of software rather than hardware. An AI can be housed in a machine body (“cybershell”) or a living body controlled through computer implants (“bioshell”).

There are three classes of AI:

Nonsapient AIs (NAIs) are capable of sentient behavior and can learn, but lack self-initiative, reasoning ability, empathy, and creativity.

Low-Sapient AIs (LAIs) are capable of self-initiative and a degree of empathy, but lack human-level creativity. Still, it can be hard to tell an LAI from a sapient AI just from conversation. There have been a few rare instances where an LAI (or gestalt of LAIs) evolved into a sapient AI.

Sapient AIs (SAIs) are capable of human equivalent or higher sapience when run on appropriate hardware. This is sometimes referred to as “self-awareness.” Sapient AIs are usually carefully raised by humans or human-programmed SAIs. This socialization process teaches them how to interact with humans. Most SAIs cultivate human-like personas. Sapient AIs almost always have names and many create human-like avatars (software images). Personal ownership of a sapient AI is licensed or restricted in many nations, and copying or modifying them without permission is generally illegal.

There are about as many AIs as people. Approximately one-third of the human population of Earth owns a nonsapient or low-sapient AI who serves as a constant personal companion, inhabiting a home computer or virtual interface (see Augmented Reality). The population of sapient AIs is smaller: there are fewer than 100 million in existence, primarily due to hardware costs and legal controls.

AIs are programmed to obey the law and their owners. NAIs and LAIs are generally seen as property, but views on sapient AI differ. The Islamic Caliphate considers SAIs to possess souls, and allows them to be citizens. The European Union and some space colonies also grant SAIs “human rights.” Most other places disagree, and treat SAIs as property. Sapient AIs created outside the European Union or Caliphate are raised to agree with this view.