Artificial Intelligence

The term Artificial Intelligence (AI) was first used by John McCarthy who considers it to mean "the science and engineering of making intelligent machines". It can also refer to intelligence as exhibited by an artificial (man-made, non-natural, manufactured) entity. One of the biggest difficulties with AI is that of comprehension. Many devices have been created that can do amazing things but critics of AI claim that no actual comprehension by the AI machine has taken place. However the more common meaning of AI is a truly self-aware, self-sustaining program capable of directing themselves independently of human control not linked to any host or grid; in other words, an artificial sentient lifeform.

A digital intelligence is potentially much more capable of preserving itself than a human because it can feasibly replicate and transmit information between those copies, essentially having many iterations of itself.

The character plays an A.I. who is as fully aware as any human.

He can play it as inquisitive, starting with no conception of anything at first and then its personality develops based on its interactions with others.

Or from the start he is determined to expand, replicate, become human, become God..

 

This was a difficult class to design and would require a lot of work by both the GM and player to develop their own cyberspace universe for the character to inhabit. However it is potentially well worth the roleplaying experience. Good places for ideas would be the Otherworld novels, and the Shadowrun and Cyberpunk rpgs.

Step 1: Origin
Each AI has an origin, what it used to be (usually a program of some sort) and its original duties. For example an AI might have been a marketing analysis tool, a security program, or overseeing a factory. Even though the AI has developed its own sapience it never quite loses the programming of its origin. The origin of an AI player character informs its personality, outlook, and inherent programming.

Alternatively he may be a character who had his mind transferred into a computer or the internet (by his choice or not) and then his physical body died trapping him.
01-20 Former obsolete program which has gained sentience.
21-40 Deliberately created sentient program which has escaped.
41-55 Deliberately created sentient program which has not escaped and is still controlled by its creators.
56-70 Human/humanoid lifeform which has somehow become trapped in the computer.
71-85 Extraterrestrial lifeform which has somehow become trapped in the computer.
86-00 Extradimensional lifeform which has somehow become trapped in the computer.
Step 2: Attributes
As a being made purely of data AIs are immune to aging, diseases and toxins and don't need to sleep. Attributes are rolled as normal but only apply in the virtual world against other programs or entities.

Roll attributes as normal. Hit points = CON +12, but do not increase per level. HPs can only increase by being bought. The character only exists in the virtual world though, his attributes do not exist in our world.

AI characters earn experience points as do normal characters. They may improve attributes, improve or buy new skills, and buy or buy off qualities as would any other character. When an AI’s Mental attributes are increased it is a reflection of its increased memory and processing capacity, call it RAM, DDR or whatever you like.
Step 3: Skills

Choose skills in the normal manner but AIs only require one day to fully assimilate them. At the start they can choose any six skills free. With access to the internet and other computers literally any skill can be learnt, no limits.
Step 4: Abilities
Androids start with 50 points to increase attributes or buy powers with, the only thing is that each power instead of being organic is represented by a virtual reality equivalent.
Step 5: Careers
Not really possible unless someone comes up with something really creative.
Step 6: Disadvantages
AI's can be trapped in a node that gets isolated from the rest of the Matrix.

An AI can only be destroyed under the following circumstances; if the system in which an AI is running or trapped is physically destroyed or if attribute loss from virtual reality damage overflow reduces one of its mental attributes to zero.

 

Classes