Artificial intelligence

From Imperial Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Artificial intelligence (often abbreviated AI) is the technology of giving computers or other man-made devices the ability to think for themselves, making them more than tools that follow a defined set of instructions. An artificial intelligence has creative ability and individual initiative, enabling it to respond to circumstances not addressed in its original programming.

AI in Science Fiction

AI is a common element in science fiction stories involving advanced computers. AI is frequently -- but not always -- depicted as a threat to humanity, with the AI seeing humans as dangerous and attempting to exterminate them.

AI in Star Wars

In Star Wars, droids are robots with varying degrees of artificial intelligence. They are a well-established technology that is largely depicted as useful or benign, although negative droid images exist, such as Darth Vader's interrogation droid and the Trade Federation's battle droids.

AI in Star Trek

Various types of artificial intelligence have appeared in Star Trek. In TOS, an intelligent computer designed to operate a starship turned out to be a disaster [1]. In TNG, Commander Data is an artificially intelligent android, and the ship's main computer has created artificially intelligent holograms[2] and even demonstrated independent intelligence of its own on one occasion[3].

AI in Other Science Fiction

  • The Skynet computer defense system from The Terminator movies is a hostile AI, as are the Terminators themselves..
  • The machines from The Matrix movies are hostile AIs.
  • The HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey and it's sequels is an AI.
  • The Transformers features sentient robots from the planet Cybertron that could be regarded as AI.
  • The Replicators from Stargate are vonn neumann machines that are programed with a base level drive to replicate, doing various other tasks to forward replication.
  • The Reapers in Mass Effect are a race of AIs that use gigantic starships as bodies. Also from Mass Effect, the geth are a race of programs that can transfer themselves between stationary hubs and mobile platforms. In Mass Effect 2, the Normandy SR-2 is equipped with an AI computer system.
  • GlaDOS and various other personality constructs from Portal

References

  1. TOS "The Ultimate Computer"
  2. TNG "Elementary My Dear Data"
  3. TNG "Emergence"