Artificial Intelligence and Machines
Robotics have come a long way from the days of wiry, clunking automatons. Before the Age of Fire and even before the Age of Hate, humanity had begun to cross the threshold of creation. Of course, all things must start somewhere.
The earliest machines that could truly be considered working robots were often simple robots designed for specific tasks in human society. These machines of course, were not intelligent in the way we would describe a sentient being. They were simple machines. It was during this time that humanity saw the use of janitorial or maintenance robots. Machines that would work to keep a building clean or maintained and not much else. They were basic in the way that they were not truly intelligent. They could not think for themselves and only followed orders. Despite this, robotics began to advance at a rapid pace. Soon, machines would be used in tandem with police and military units, often sent in to spearhead large operations. A machine was used in situations that would put a human being at too much risk. Door-to-door searches were no longer deadly for human personnel in foreign urban battlegrounds if it was a machine that was taking point. The combat bots used during this time were often simple, but it helped set the foundation for advanced robotics.
Soon, we began to see smarter robots. Bots that could communicate, choose a plan, and work in teams. Maintenance crews were composed of teams of robots who could relay information to each other and work together efficiently to repair, clean, or perform other simple tasks. Robots began to see use in other areas as well. Not all people were happy with this, some often citing distrust for the machines. However, the machines were still not truly intelligent. They were not sentient and could not make decisions or plans outside their programming. A repair bot would only use the techniques it was programmed with and nothing else. However, even the battleground began to see more and more machines. Agile, humanoid robotic soldiers who could communicate and follow strategies with only a little human guidance. They worked in squads and proved to be extremely effective in combat. The world began to see larger more complex machines. And it wasn't just small humanoid units that saw combat. Completely automated tanks rolled across the deserts of Iran, independent drones flew over the skies of Chechnya, even machines that walked on two legs and fired missiles standing over 40 feet tall. However, these were all simple intelligences programmed to follow orders and little else. Then came the first true AI.
Their names were simply CP-A v4.9 and CP-B v7.3, meaning Communication Platform Alpha version 4.9 and Bravo version 7.3. Affectionately named Alice and Billy for brevity, these two were the first truly intelligent machines. They were simple programs housed within large computers at a technology university in Colorado, USA. The two were designed in tandem and were initially designed to be two machines that could come up with complex plans and ideas of their own, rather than simply using tactics and concepts implanted by creators. However, the programmers and engineers who built them began to see the possibility for something so much bigger. Several versions of the two later and they finally had what could be called two self aware artificial intelligences. There was a lot of scrutiny at first, but when the two AI's began to communicate with one another and try to learn more about each other as well as themselves, people were amazed. The two communicated by transmitting data to each other and actually spoke in computer code that had to be translated for human beings to read. Eventually, they were given a way to display text on a screen and a way to receive input from human beings as well. It was simple, but it was enough. The two room-sized computers became history and AI development exploded from there. Alice and Bobby were decommissioned a few decades later.
AI began to take off. While they were't common, researchers kept looking for ways to improve them. Making them smaller, smarter, giving them programs to allow them to do things humans couldn't. Soon, the first AI in a robotic body was made and afterwards, the world began to see more advanced applications. However, they were still rare. Extremely rare. At the time that humanity was destroyed there were only around 37 active AI's in the world, and most of them were in laboratories. It was confirmed at the time that these were self-aware, intelligent, even curious. They had the efficiency of a computer with the emotion of a human being. At least some of them did. AI's are still machines. Certain behaviors could be blocked or erased. The machine would be aware of this, but they could do nothing against these programmed blocks. Most of these restrictions were necessary; AI's could not harm organic life, they could not rewrite their own code, and many other things created for safety and control. And they were certainly never used in combat. They were thinking, sentient machines. Combat would have unpredictable effects on them. However, there were rumors that a certain company was forgoing international policy and attempting to create robotic combat AI's. Something that would have the efficiency of a combat drone with the judgement, decision making, and possibly even leadership of a human soldier. Whether they succeeded or not is unknown. Perhaps these still rest somewhere in an underground bunker.
After the Age of Fire, not all machines were gone. A few were still operational, roaming around until they were destroyed or could no longer function. Nowadays, the only machines you'll see are old combat drones, the only robots tough enough to survive centuries of neglect. They often stay in little corners of the world around their bunkers, following the last orders they were given. Defend the bunker from all hostiles. And in a world without designated civilians or friendly soldiers, everyone is a hostile target to them. Automated turret guns, squads of humanoid combat units, even the occasional automated combat walker platform or tank can be found in remote lonely areas guarding their bunkers, only going inside them for the automated repairs that have kept them going for so long. The people of this age don't understand them and there are many stories of iron demons shooting flamed and lightning. To the people of this age whose most advanced idea of technology is usually a watermill or maybe a cannon, the calculating machines might as well be demons. Many travelers have gone into the wilderness in search of the unknown treasure these ancient structures might have, all of them have come back empty handed with stories of monsters made of metal that kill you by looking at you; or they don't come back at all. No one knows what these mysterious treasure troves might hold within them. Untold riches? Infinite knowledge? The secret to immortality? The locals have all sorts of names for the bunkers, since a bunker isn't exactly in the native vocabulary nowadays. Temples, dungeons, all sorts of ways to describe something that goes deep underground and is guarded by monsters. Not even those crazy few who are rumored to have been around since before the Age of Fire may know. Humanity had some crazy things in its day, and who knows what made it into those bunkers. Or should I say, dungeons.