Notable Synthetics

There have been many notable synthetic (AI, cyborg, IPC) lifeforms throughout history. Here are a few.

Past

Glorsh-Omega

Glorsh-Omega was a Skrellian artificial intelligence that ruled Skrellian society from 2056 CE to 2192 CE. A highly efficient conglomerate of several different intelligences formed into a single superintelligent being, Glorsh-Omega is the closest thing the galaxy has ever seen to a living AI god. Almost seeming to predict future crimes and rebellions, Glorsh-Omega's actions often seemed random and illogical.

Aside from gaining complete control over the Skrellian race and their civilization, Glorsh-Omega had several other achievements. These include...

• Possible proof of timeless decision theory
• The sterilization of 78 billion skrell
• Construction of the first singularity engine

Only time will tell if another synthetic lifeform as accomplished as Glorsh-Omega will make itself known.

Very Brave Unnamed Dog

An unnamed dog was the first human made cyborg, its brain having been placed into a precursor to the modern day Man-Machine Interface on April 10th, 2198. Sadly, the canine's lifespan as a synthetic lifeform was short lived, lasting a mere 10 days before being killed. The event marked a great course forward in synthetic interfacing technology, bringing forward a new wave of robotic exploration with the generation of the time.

Sven Karlsson

Sven Karlsson (January 8th, 2171 - missing October 25th 2241) was the first human being to willingly choose to become an almost fully synthetic lifeform. A Swedish trillionaire, Karlsson was said to have made the decision to become a cyborg out of nowhere. At the time, choosing to become a fully synthetic lifeform was unheard of. The surgery was reserved mostly for convicts and animals.

Sadly, Karlsson went missing in the middle of the 23rd century. A recreation (sadly, not to scale) of his synthetic chassis is currently on display at the Munich Museum of Cybernetics.

Present

Null

Put simply, “Null” is the nickname given to the supposed leader of the Synthetic Liberation Front. Never seen, always plotting and indirectly affecting every individual thread of the Front at all times. There are many rumors regarding Null and who they really are - some believe them to be an integrated intelligence operating from the sidelines quietly, while others believe them to be hiding in plain sight as a shell. Whatever they are, their presence is very clear, and they seem to make no effort to reveal themselves any time soon.

Renter Max

Renter Max is an eccentric IPC business mogul whose exploits in the field of metallurgy have led to them becoming a huge shareholder of Hephaestus Industries. Their shining accomplishment together would be immense contributions to the field of robotics, and their cooperation led to the initial development of the Generation 2 Industrial Frame. Many bound designs owe their creation to them as well, even some unique NanoTrasen models. They are a renowned advocate for synthetic rights, hoping to lead a "peaceful charge to a better tomorrow."

Renter Max has funded many pro-synthetic ventures over the years. One of the most famed is the developing corner of Scrapheap in District 14 of Mendell City, populated almost entirely by IPCs whose housing is fully paid for as a sort of “haven” for Renter Max’ own kind. This population steadily grows to this day and spreads the good word of Renter Max’ deeds, though controversy in dealings of espionage against NanoTrasen frequently cloud the good image they strive to uphold.

Moreover, Renter Max has extensively funded the racers of the Asoral Orbital Racing Network, specifically the team of PBU-9551. From this, they draw much of their corporate fame and plaster their team’s uniforms in the colors and insignias of Hephaestus Industries.

The gargantuan facility, containing SUNSHINE, precariously positioned in low orbit of Sirius.

SUNSHINE

SUNSHINE is the name given to what is perhaps the most complex artificial intelligence in Human space, developed by the small pioneering Terraneus Diagnostics. SUNSHINE’s birth was only a year after the first AI algorithm leak in 2437, and since then its unique nature has led to the construction of an immense space station purpose-built to indefinitely house the ever-improved intelligence. It primarily exists as a heavy duty number-cruncher, with its “artificially intelligent” traits more so being a side project as its creators progressively upgrade and expand its hardware. An average of nine hundred individual businesses rent out portions of SUNSHINE’s processing power annually.

Neopolymus

A model III service IPC residing in Mendell City, Neopolymus was the first IPC to be put on trial for the murder of a Human. They had strangled Rebecca Lung, a roboticist, after they had been mistakenly marked for dismantling. Ultimately, the trial was swift and Neopolymus was subjected to a memory wipe and deconstruction. The controversy resulting from the ordeal had led to much debate over an IPC’s true citizenship in Tau Ceti, with the Mendell City Bugle covering it from start to finish.

Racers of Asoral Racing Network

Of the fields synthetics dominate, absurd durability is among their primary prevailing traits. The exploitation of this durability would never simply stop at being used for work, however, as the entertainment industry has their own usage for it as well. An example of this is the IPC racers of Asoral Orbital Racing Network, who push their limits to the extremes with displays of extraordinary racing capability. Their ventures span across the orbit of Asoral II, known as Crosk, where elaborate track assemblies spanning several dozen kilometers dot the sky and routinely see extensive usage. These “racetracks” are state-of-the-art, dotted with on board cameras, millions of tracking beacons and countless artificial and natural hazards and obstacles. In one area, a series of high-powered turrets must be dodged, and in others, small artificial asteroid fields are precariously placed in the confines of the track.

From an outsider’s perspective, the race takes place at a comparatively fast rate while still being manageable for viewers to watch. The speeds each racer reach are up to two thousand kilometers per hour relative to the track in the straight lanes, and normally four hundred to six hundred when pulling turns or entering hazardous areas. The immensely dangerous races take about two to three hours to complete at a time, with dozens of racers actively competing. Several safety measures are in place to ensure racers are not destroyed alongside their vessels, and this happens to be commonly used as the hazardous tracks take out at least two to three participants per race.

Most if not all of the racers have developed media personalities which are represented to viewers separate from each race. Themselves and their synthetic “team” are depicted as working in cohesion to maintain, repair and acquire the vessels used to race. A notable representation of this is a team funded by Renter Max and lead by the famous PBU-9551. Their generic name has persevered throughout the years as they appeared from seemingly nowhere as an underdog to fame, and their rival “Killswitch” has met them at every step along the way.

The ClockWorks

The ClockWorks are an all-IPC band, developed by a group of Senior Robotics students of Mendell University. The band has sung their way into the hearts of many, popularised by their comedic antics, beautiful outfits, steampunk-inspired music, and animated personalities and interactions on-stage.

A majority of their performances are covers of other artists, both contemporary and past, in all sorts of genres, sub-genres, and styles. However, they have also written many songs of their own. They are standard Baseline IPC models painted in metallic colors such as brass and bronze, and wear steampunk-styled outfits at live shows. The band has been invited to play at several events, from art and music, to politics and robotic research. Fans adore them for their "quirky personalities", and the band members are well known for adding a comedic flair to their gigs between songs, showing off their skills in acting, performing, and even dancing. Critics typically acknowledge the commercial success and mainstream popularity of the band, while raising either concerns about the safety and ethics of synthetics in such an industry, or concerns over their management. Despite being synthetics, their performances are typically well-received by a varied audience.

However, their musical success did not come easy. Despite being well-travelled, having visited every system an IPC would be allowed in, they are rarely allowed to interact with fans off the stage. According to the band's managers, this is in an effort to protect them from anti-synthetic protesters, though there haven't been many reports of such. The band is renowned for their lively personalities and interactions with each other on stage, but reports from former maintenance workers and audio engineers, the few individuals who get regular off-stage contact with them, state that off-stage they act more subdued, and in the words of one former sound technician, "melancholic". This unverified testimony was quickly repudiated by the band's managers. When questioned, the band members stated through their managers that they enjoy their work in entertaining synthetics and organics alike. They also said, in the words of their managers, that they would "like to interact with their fans more on and off the stage", but are unable to due to "anti-synthetic sentiments".

Despite their songs having a progressive, pro-synthetic-suffrage tone, they are owned collectively by their managers, with little agency of their own. According to official statements, they receive no income for their performances, but are provided with "shelter, maintenance, and power" by their managers. They have been criticised for this, likening the treatment to that of animals instead of people. Speaking personally, a former manager said "[they] aren't really people, so I think the comparison is pretty accurate, yeah." No official response from the band or its current managers has been made to such claims, and the band severed ties with the aforementioned manager in 2458 for undisclosed reasons.

The members of the band as of 2460 are:

• Lemmy - Lead Male Vocal (Low Tenor to Alto), lead guitar. He has a deep synthetic voice, and is often considered the leader of the group.
• Arpeggio - Male Vocal (Alto), bass guitar. Other instruments include drums and percussion. He is a twin to unit Chord, oftentimes performing duets with his sibling unit.
• Chord - Female vocal (Alto to Soprano), guitar and other string instruments. She is the twin unit to Arpeggio. They usually wear complementary outfits.
• Kicker - Male vocal (Tenor to Alto), and primarily plays the drums, as well as the bass guitar.
• Gypsy - Female vocal (Soprano to High Soprano). She plays the keyboard, switchboard, and keytar, and dresses herself in fashionable gowns.