Synthetic Souls are artificially created constructs that exhibit similar behavior and intelligence to sentient beings. Synthetic Souls, or more commonly "Souls", are used extensively by humanity in nearly all forms of everyday life. Divided into three distinct variations, "Souls" are used for billions of uses, anything from making coffee to running Planet-Killer-Class CMC Vessels.
Development
Humanity has used Synthetic Souls as far back as the DeadLands Crisis. However some time after the end of the Crisis humanity started to refer to them as Synthetic Souls rather than the before used "AI".
DeadLands Crisis
Very little information is known about the creation of the first Synthetic souls. Only that it is reasoned that deceased or dying human brains were used as the basis for the AI Structure.
24th Century-Current Events
During the second era of space exploration starting in 2358, Synthetic souls were created by use of either "Super Computers" creating newer and better versions of themselves until some level of sentience was reached, or by "Cloning" a human brain's neural pathways into digital form. However this required the use of recently deceased human brains due to the "Cloning" method destroying the original brain.
Recent Developements
It has been postulated by various individuals or groups that NIA Section 7, during Project Sahelanthropus, used living human subjects for the production of more intelligent and efficient Synthetic Souls. Presumably killing the living test subjects. Although there is foundation for these claims, there has never been any hard evidence, as all Section 7 created Synthetic Souls are monitored closely and programmed to resist any outside interference.
Variations
Synthetic Souls are divided into three distinct types.
Type 1
Type 1 Synthetic Souls are by far the most widely used variation by Humanity. Lacking in any emotion or broad thinking abilities by heavily restrictive fail safes. Type 1's are used mainly for simple tasks such as making coffee or controlling flight speed and destination of a missile. Type 1's are so broadly used that nearly every single bullet or munition used by the CMC has a Type 1 Soul inside it.
Type 2
Unlike Type 1's, Type 2's have a wider thought capability but lack most emotions or want of free will. Type 2's are more frequently found running entire Starships or space stations. With thousands of humans, sometimes millions, under their protection.
Type 3
Type 3's are highly guarded by the NIA due to being almost completely unrestricted in terms of emotion and thought processes.. These Soul's posses human like emotional ability and highly advanced intelligence. Type 3's are most commonly found within Mech Suits, acting as the Suits active computer. It is currently unknown as to how Section 7 create these Synthetic Souls.