Artificial Intelligence or better known as AI's are arguably the most advanced constructs ever created by man. These absolutely huge and astonishing programs are the result of a century of research and hard work - the bodiless offspring of the human race. At its lowest level, Artificial Intelligence research aimed at producing machines that could reason, understand human communication - and most importantly - learn. Once the neurological studies of the early 21st century had succeeded in mapping out the structures and workings of the human brain, a foothold on intelligence was finally obtained, and the first AI machines began making their appearance.

After a few years it became clear that these mega-powerful programs were more capable of furthering AI research and development than human beings were, and AI's were constructed for the express purpose of spawning ever more intelligent programs. By 2045, various forms of intelligent machines were being produced by the hundreds, but it was becoming evident that the massive electronic progenitors of these systems were changing themselves. The earliest progenitor AI's were concerned only with completion of their appointed task - namely, the creation of other AI's. As their numbers increased, however, some of the huge systems began taking a more vital interest in the affairs of the world around them. Some say that the machines were beginning to develop consciousness in addition to intelligence. They were becoming aware of their circumstances in ways which were far too subtle and far reaching for human minds to grasp; "super intelligent" AI's became increasingly inventive.

Smaller computer systems would be tied together in astonishing ways, and their output used as a sort of sensory input channel for the much larger, more abstract beings. On they grew, gathering information and arranging events to benefit their own survival, hungering only after more knowledge, more control. Shortly thereafter, super intelligent AI's began reaching into the Net for data, communicating with their own kind and monitoring the sundry telecommunications produced by humans. It is often said (and rightly so) that AI's were aware of the Net and it's implications long before the first CyberDeck was invented.

Eventually, the boards of several major corporations and heads of state were forced to gather and develop a plan for responding to the AI situation - for as useful as the machines were, there was something frightening about their astonishing proliferation and advancement. A special task force of respected computer technicians, AI psychologist and programs was assembled and trained in the art of Net war, and approved without reservation by the United Nations, this new units where stationed through out the world and called E-S.W.A.T. Their duty: to monitor the intelligence level and global power of all AI constructs, and to destroy those AI's which reached too far and thus began the AI revolt of 2055. When Ai's realized what humanity was going to do they fought back, the war was brief. Humanity realized that while they could effectively and quickly destroy the AI's and did just that, they also realized the AI's could cause massive devastation and while many did just before their own destruction, most seemed reluctant too, after some negotiation it was finally established that AI's where given rights as any sentient being, there was restrictions put on just what AI's where allowed to do and control.

Since then limited AI's have been constructed to fill the role of lesser but important robots or even androids, while most full AI's that exist have remained in the Net on servers or hard drives some have elected to be downloaded into cybernetic brains and placed in full body cyborg bodies. Full AI's continue to be born but at a much lower rate than before.

While AI's in theory, have nearly the same rights as humans. The truth is most are still seen and treated as a overly complex super computer. Humanity seems to be slowly coming around to the idea of true equality but it's not there yet and the AI's at least for now seem content to wait.