Rust and Redemption
An artificial intelligence thinks independently, learning and evolving with experience. AIs have their own goals and motivations, and may work with or against humans. Some want to gather data, some want to solve technological problems, and some want to take over the world—at any cost.
AIs take many forms. Some are distributed across a vast network. Others are isolated in a single computer. A few are machines with organic parts or can use such machines as servitors.
Because AIs are entities of extreme intelligence, they can adapt to new situations. Most AIs act on some kind of plan, whether long acting or concocted to fit the situation at hand.
When acting from a remote terminal, the AI's effective level is lowered. It can be as low as level 3, but typically is level 5.
Motive: Varies
Environment: Almost anywhere
Health: 23
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (6 points)
Armor: 2
Movement: None, or instantly to any networked machine able to host them
Combat: An electrical discharge—or in some cases precisely pulsed sequences of lights, each designed for a specific creature to see—can affect all targets within short range of the AI (or the AI's local "terminal"), inflicting damage from electricity (or Intellect damage, which ignores Armor).
An AI may attempt to install an instance of themself in the wetware (the brain) of humans and any other nearby sapient creatures. Anyone within immediate range of a video screen playing carefully crafted symbols and sounds who fails an Intellect defense roll is stunned, losing their next turn as they stare in rapt attention. If they fail a subsequent defense roll, they come under the control of the AI instance for one minute, or until they succeed on an Intellect defense roll on their turn. A PC under AI control might stand and do nothing, fall mysteriously unconscious, or take an action to advance the AI's goals.
AIs can control other lower level computer systems and sometimes even nanobots.
Some targets of AI instance installation never recover, becoming AI zombies. Besides AI zombies, an AI may also rely on guardians (such as mechanical soldiers or CRAZRs 318) made to their own design).
Unless the PCs can track a given AI to their original computing core, damage to one may just be damage done to a terminal. Thus, even if an AI is seemingly destroyed, they might exist as another instance somewhere else. However, over time, alternate instances may collect different data and thus develop different memories and motivations.
Some AIs continue to improve themselves by modifying their own code. These AIs are level 8 threats with 27 health, and they can create cyphers and artifacts, which they often deploy in combat.
Interaction: Some AIs enjoy negotiation. Others simply ignore humans as unworthy of their time and attention. An AI's voice often sounds surprisingly human.
Use: The PCs' shelter is overtaken by a storm of grey goo, which answers to an AI operating out of a nearby safehouse.
Loot: An AI may have access to 1d6 cyphers and two or three artifacts.
GM Intrusion: The AI accesses databases that contain secrets about the character and tries to blackmail the PC.