Sliding Scale of Robot Intelligence: Difference between revisions

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Some newer works might be all over the scale by saying that multiple dumb machines "networked" into a machine god (or at the very least smarter than human) intelligence capable of dissent.
Some newer works might be all over the scale by saying that multiple dumb machines "networked" into a machine god (or at the very least smarter than human) intelligence capable of dissent.


When this trope is averted and all the intelligences in a work are humanoid and used for slave labor or war, this trope implies that humans [[Three Laws Compliant|have never read]] [[Isaac Asimov]], and use exactly the same hardware/software for ''every'' kind of industrial, military and personal robot, and are purposely [[We Will Use Manual Labor in The Future|needlessly inefficient]] or [[Humans Are Bastards|cruel]] because of it. Generally involves a [[Fantastic Aesop]]. May overlap with [[Robots Enslaving Robots]]. See also [[The Singularity]] for a popular way of reaching [[Deus Est Machina]]. One of the many ways of differentiating [[Robot|robots]].
When this trope is averted and all the intelligences in a work are humanoid and used for slave labor or war, this trope implies that humans [[Three Laws Compliant|have never read]] [[Isaac Asimov]], and use exactly the same hardware/software for ''every'' kind of industrial, military and personal robot, and are purposely [[We Will Use Manual Labor in the Future|needlessly inefficient]] or [[Humans Are Bastards|cruel]] because of it. Generally involves a [[Fantastic Aesop]]. May overlap with [[Robots Enslaving Robots]]. See also [[The Singularity]] for a popular way of reaching [[Deus Est Machina]]. One of the many ways of differentiating [[Robot|robots]].
{{examples}}
{{examples}}


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* In ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]!'', [[Robot Girl|Chachamaru]] is a more or less average human-intelligence type robot with notable hacking skills, memory, and computing speed. Her master Evangeline has other [[Robot Maid|robotic servants]], most of whom seem to fall between brick and human levels; they appear to have a certain level of self awareness, but not nearly to Chachamaru's degree.
* In ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]!'', [[Robot Girl|Chachamaru]] is a more or less average human-intelligence type robot with notable hacking skills, memory, and computing speed. Her master Evangeline has other [[Robot Maid|robotic servants]], most of whom seem to fall between brick and human levels; they appear to have a certain level of self awareness, but not nearly to Chachamaru's degree.
** It's mentioned every once in a while that this is because her "sisters" are pure robots, while she is a science/magic hybrid. Not to mention that her purely magic counterpart, the [[Creepy Doll|animated puppet]] Chachazero, can't even function if there isn't enough magic.
** It's mentioned every once in a while that this is because her "sisters" are pure robots, while she is a science/magic hybrid. Not to mention that her purely magic counterpart, the [[Creepy Doll|animated puppet]] Chachazero, can't even function if there isn't enough magic.
* Subverted in ''[[Ghost in The Shell]]: Stand Alone Complex''. The [[Ridiculously-Human Robots]] that appear are all non-sentient, and [[Logic Bomb|easily befuddled]] by the spider-like Tachikoma [[Incredibly Lame Pun|think-tanks]]. The Tachikoma discuss this, noting that humans would be intimidated by androids with human intelligence but are much more accepting of non-humanoid adorable robots like themselves having sentience.
* Subverted in ''[[Ghost in the Shell]]: Stand Alone Complex''. The [[Ridiculously-Human Robots]] that appear are all non-sentient, and [[Logic Bomb|easily befuddled]] by the spider-like Tachikoma [[Incredibly Lame Pun|think-tanks]]. The Tachikoma discuss this, noting that humans would be intimidated by androids with human intelligence but are much more accepting of non-humanoid adorable robots like themselves having sentience.
** And in the original manga and movie there is the Codename 2501, a.k.a. Puppetmaster, who started out as a Brick with capability to learn, and became what is described in the final volume of the manga as an information god. In the aforementioned final volume, ''Man-Machine Interface'', the semi-AI descendants of the Puppetmaster-Major-fusion briefly plan turning every human with cybernetic implants on Earth into offshoots of themselves, but instead opt to create even higher forms of artificial consciousness. It's implied at the end that the age of machine gods is coming fast.
** And in the original manga and movie there is the Codename 2501, a.k.a. Puppetmaster, who started out as a Brick with capability to learn, and became what is described in the final volume of the manga as an information god. In the aforementioned final volume, ''Man-Machine Interface'', the semi-AI descendants of the Puppetmaster-Major-fusion briefly plan turning every human with cybernetic implants on Earth into offshoots of themselves, but instead opt to create even higher forms of artificial consciousness. It's implied at the end that the age of machine gods is coming fast.
* ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]'' uses varying levels of robot intelligence. [[Mecha-Mooks|Gadget Drones]] are of Brick-level intelligence and are mowed down by the dozens. Storage Devices also have Brick-level intelligence. [[Empathic Weapon|Intelligent and Armed Devices]] are somewhere between Brick and Human, capable of creating their own opinions and having conversations with their users but not to the level of humans. Finally, there's the Wolkenritter and Unison Devices that are Human level and [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?|pretty much considered as fellow humans by other characters]]. In one of the [[Opening Narration|Opening Narrations]], Vita, one of the Wolkenritter, idly wonders if she and the other Wolkenritter were nothing more than weapons like the Brick-level [[Kill Sat|Cradle]] they're facing before they met Hayate and gained human-like emotions and personalities.
* ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]'' uses varying levels of robot intelligence. [[Mecha-Mooks|Gadget Drones]] are of Brick-level intelligence and are mowed down by the dozens. Storage Devices also have Brick-level intelligence. [[Empathic Weapon|Intelligent and Armed Devices]] are somewhere between Brick and Human, capable of creating their own opinions and having conversations with their users but not to the level of humans. Finally, there's the Wolkenritter and Unison Devices that are Human level and [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?|pretty much considered as fellow humans by other characters]]. In one of the [[Opening Narration|Opening Narrations]], Vita, one of the Wolkenritter, idly wonders if she and the other Wolkenritter were nothing more than weapons like the Brick-level [[Kill Sat|Cradle]] they're facing before they met Hayate and gained human-like emotions and personalities.
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** Nicole, Sally's personal mini-computer, falls under the Nobel-bot and [[Deus Est Machina]] category. Her main role involves hacking machines, downloading vital information, and computer interface. She also has a mild sense of humor. It wasn't until an electrical accident switched her and Sally consciousness; Nicole's brief time in the fur/flesh inspired her to experiment on emotions and a [[Projected Man|new body]], leading her to be in the latter.
** Nicole, Sally's personal mini-computer, falls under the Nobel-bot and [[Deus Est Machina]] category. Her main role involves hacking machines, downloading vital information, and computer interface. She also has a mild sense of humor. It wasn't until an electrical accident switched her and Sally consciousness; Nicole's brief time in the fur/flesh inspired her to experiment on emotions and a [[Projected Man|new body]], leading her to be in the latter.
* Subverted by [[DC Comics]]' Kryptonian robots, which have a certain level of intelligence and independence, but are usually still portrayed as mere servant machines. The ''Elseworlds'' story ''[[Superman]]: Last Son of Earth'' even equips one of Jor-El's robots with a heavy dose of sarcasm. Basically, Batman's Alfred in robot form.
* Subverted by [[DC Comics]]' Kryptonian robots, which have a certain level of intelligence and independence, but are usually still portrayed as mere servant machines. The ''Elseworlds'' story ''[[Superman]]: Last Son of Earth'' even equips one of Jor-El's robots with a heavy dose of sarcasm. Basically, Batman's Alfred in robot form.
** Not to say there aren't exceptions. [[Depending On the Writer|When Brainiac is a robot instead of an alien]], he's typically tied into Krypton's backstory as the primary AI that ran things(and easily a [[Deus Est Machina]]). He was partially responsible for its destruction by concealing the severity of the problem until it was too late.
** Not to say there aren't exceptions. [[Depending on the Writer|When Brainiac is a robot instead of an alien]], he's typically tied into Krypton's backstory as the primary AI that ran things(and easily a [[Deus Est Machina]]). He was partially responsible for its destruction by concealing the severity of the problem until it was too late.
* Averted in Marvel's ''[[Nextwave]]'' with Aaron Stack, a.k.a. the Machine Man. Stack loves talking about how superior he is to fleshy ones, but never (quite) claims to be god-like. (Everyone else, however, can agree he is total ☠☠☠☠.)
* Averted in Marvel's ''[[Nextwave]]'' with Aaron Stack, a.k.a. the Machine Man. Stack loves talking about how superior he is to fleshy ones, but never (quite) claims to be god-like. (Everyone else, however, can agree he is total ☠☠☠☠.)
** Until [[Dork Age|relatively recently]] he was more of a Nobel-Bot, similar to Data from [[Star Trek]] or Pinnochio
** Until [[Dork Age|relatively recently]] he was more of a Nobel-Bot, similar to Data from [[Star Trek]] or Pinnochio
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* Averted in Dan Simmons' ''Hyperion'' where the robots are considerably more intelligent than humans but none of them have godlike minds.
* Averted in Dan Simmons' ''Hyperion'' where the robots are considerably more intelligent than humans but none of them have godlike minds.
* Artificial Intelligence Personalities in Donna Andrews' ''Turing Hopper'' mysteries have the capacity to upgrade themselves and some eventually achieve true self-awareness. Sentient AIPs mostly seem at the Human level (with greater-than-human expertise in the areas they were programmed to specialize in), but think faster and are better at multitasking and dealing with large quantities of information.
* Artificial Intelligence Personalities in Donna Andrews' ''Turing Hopper'' mysteries have the capacity to upgrade themselves and some eventually achieve true self-awareness. Sentient AIPs mostly seem at the Human level (with greater-than-human expertise in the areas they were programmed to specialize in), but think faster and are better at multitasking and dealing with large quantities of information.
* ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy (Franchise)|The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy]]'': "Here I am, brain the size of a planet and they ask me to take you down to the bridge." Implied to be a(n incredibly lazy/jaded/depressed/unmotivated) [[Deus Est Machina]].
* ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy|The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy]]'': "Here I am, brain the size of a planet and they ask me to take you down to the bridge." Implied to be a(n incredibly lazy/jaded/depressed/unmotivated) [[Deus Est Machina]].
** The doors of the ''Heart of Gold'': "[Satisfied hum] Glad to be of service!"
** The doors of the ''Heart of Gold'': "[Satisfied hum] Glad to be of service!"
** Not all robots of at Marvin's level, clearly. In the second book, he manages to easily provoke a tank-bot into throwing a tantrum and disintegrating the floor beneath it, causing it to fall. Marvin describes him as "depressingly stupid".
** Not all robots of at Marvin's level, clearly. In the second book, he manages to easily provoke a tank-bot into throwing a tantrum and disintegrating the floor beneath it, causing it to fall. Marvin describes him as "depressingly stupid".
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* Averted by the Chee of ''Animorphs'', which are somewhere between the Human and God levels (though perhaps played straight at the same time, since presumably they're roughly at the "Human" level relative to their creators, the Pemalites.)
* Averted by the Chee of ''Animorphs'', which are somewhere between the Human and God levels (though perhaps played straight at the same time, since presumably they're roughly at the "Human" level relative to their creators, the Pemalites.)
* In [[Stanislaw Lem]]'s ''Pirx the Pilot'' series of short stories, the robots are generally assumed to be just machines, but Pirx has his doubts.
* In [[Stanislaw Lem]]'s ''Pirx the Pilot'' series of short stories, the robots are generally assumed to be just machines, but Pirx has his doubts.
* Lem's "Golem XIV" is the fascinating monologue of a 5-plus (!) AI attempting to dumb down its communication sufficiently for human understanding. So convincing, you suspect Lem himself had an I.Q. [[Off the Scale]]: of which presumably he was aware, given his vocal and far-from-tactful assessment of the intelligence of most other science-fiction authors (except [[Philip K Dick]], who he admired).
* Lem's "Golem XIV" is the fascinating monologue of a 5-plus (!) AI attempting to dumb down its communication sufficiently for human understanding. So convincing, you suspect Lem himself had an I.Q. [[Off the Scale]]: of which presumably he was aware, given his vocal and far-from-tactful assessment of the intelligence of most other science-fiction authors (except [[Philip K. Dick]], who he admired).
** Lem was prejudiced against s-f writers in general, so it took him great effort to appreciate any of them. However he tended to spill his spite on those authors who asked for it, his criticism was at times simply unjust. Apart from that it's not the lack of intelligence of those authors that enraged him the most, but their [[Did Not Do the Research|lack of scientific erudition]] (and it's with this, not with the IQ, where he really exceeded the scale).
** Lem was prejudiced against s-f writers in general, so it took him great effort to appreciate any of them. However he tended to spill his spite on those authors who asked for it, his criticism was at times simply unjust. Apart from that it's not the lack of intelligence of those authors that enraged him the most, but their [[Did Not Do the Research|lack of scientific erudition]] (and it's with this, not with the IQ, where he really exceeded the scale).
* In the ''Starshield'' universe the resident AIs are evolutionary in terms of intelligence. On activation they tend to be fairly low on the scale, but the longer they are active the more complex their programming becomes, and thus the more intelligent they grow. If active for a sufficient period of time they can achieve Level 5, but the time needed extends beyond the recorded existence of mankind.
* In the ''Starshield'' universe the resident AIs are evolutionary in terms of intelligence. On activation they tend to be fairly low on the scale, but the longer they are active the more complex their programming becomes, and thus the more intelligent they grow. If active for a sufficient period of time they can achieve Level 5, but the time needed extends beyond the recorded existence of mankind.
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** From [[The Movie]]: "His coat is burgundy. This is teal." Some of the skinjobs are [[Too Dumb to Live]].
** From [[The Movie]]: "His coat is burgundy. This is teal." Some of the skinjobs are [[Too Dumb to Live]].
* ''[[Star Trek TNG]]'': Data is much smarter than any human or even than any Vulcan when it comes to science, logic and math. Also, he IS creative -- while definitely NOT a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature, he can paint decent pictures. A different one with each hand.
* ''[[Star Trek TNG]]'': Data is much smarter than any human or even than any Vulcan when it comes to science, logic and math. Also, he IS creative -- while definitely NOT a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature, he can paint decent pictures. A different one with each hand.
* Averted in ''[[Red Dwarf (TV)|Red Dwarf]]''. [[A Is|Holly]] has an IQ of 6,000, but his centuries of isolation has left him "[[AI Is a Crapshoot|a bit]] [[The Mad Hatter|peculiar]]."
* Averted in ''[[Red Dwarf]]''. [[A Is|Holly]] has an IQ of 6,000, but his centuries of isolation has left him "[[AI Is a Crapshoot|a bit]] [[The Mad Hatter|peculiar]]."
* The Terminators in ''[[The Sarah Connor Chronicles]]'' fall somewhere between Average Joe and Nobel. Generally, they operate within certain baseline programming but are given immense leeway in how to complete their objectives, and show impressive planning and intellect when it comes to this. For example, a Terminator by the name of Myron Stark is sent back with a mission to assassinate the governor of California in 2009 at a specific location inside a specific building. Instead, he is accidentally sent back to the 1920s, in the process killing the man who would build the tower where he would carry out the assassination. At this point, Stark proceeds to build the tower himself by first robbing banks, establishing his own realty company and construction firms, and even assassinates the heads of a rival company to buy up all their lands, including the land where the tower would be built -- and then built the tower himself. Then he hides himself inside the tower for a good sixty years until the day of the planned assassination.
* The Terminators in ''[[The Sarah Connor Chronicles]]'' fall somewhere between Average Joe and Nobel. Generally, they operate within certain baseline programming but are given immense leeway in how to complete their objectives, and show impressive planning and intellect when it comes to this. For example, a Terminator by the name of Myron Stark is sent back with a mission to assassinate the governor of California in 2009 at a specific location inside a specific building. Instead, he is accidentally sent back to the 1920s, in the process killing the man who would build the tower where he would carry out the assassination. At this point, Stark proceeds to build the tower himself by first robbing banks, establishing his own realty company and construction firms, and even assassinates the heads of a rival company to buy up all their lands, including the land where the tower would be built -- and then built the tower himself. Then he hides himself inside the tower for a good sixty years until the day of the planned assassination.
** On the other hand, there's [[Robot Girl|Cameron]], who definitely appears to be of Nobel-level, and has strong capability when it comes to creativity and critical thinking. She also does appear to have emotions, particularly when her "Allison" persona is activated.
** On the other hand, there's [[Robot Girl|Cameron]], who definitely appears to be of Nobel-level, and has strong capability when it comes to creativity and critical thinking. She also does appear to have emotions, particularly when her "Allison" persona is activated.
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== Tabletop Games ==
== Tabletop Games ==
* ''[[Warhammer 40000]]'' has no sentient AIs (except possibly the Necrons). Of the ones who use actual thinking machines, the Imperium has a [[Dune]]-esque ban on sentient machines due to the precepts of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Tau haven't advanced far enough to get their AIs truly sentient yet.
* ''[[Warhammer 40000]]'' has no sentient AIs (except possibly the Necrons). Of the ones who use actual thinking machines, the Imperium has a [[Dune]]-esque ban on sentient machines due to the precepts of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Tau haven't advanced far enough to get their AIs truly sentient yet.
* ''[[Exalted]]'' averts this with the Grate Monkeys--in fact exactly the robo-monkeys mentioned above--well, [[Magitech]] robo-[[Everything's Better With Monkeys|monkeys]], anyway.
* ''[[Exalted]]'' averts this with the Grate Monkeys--in fact exactly the robo-monkeys mentioned above--well, [[Magitech]] robo-[[Everything's Better with Monkeys|monkeys]], anyway.
* ''[[Eclipse Phase (Tabletop Game)|Eclipse Phase]]'' regularly uses Robo-Monkey muses and [[Average Joe Android]] to Nobel-Bot AGIs, and [[Deus Est Machina]] Seed [[A Is]] known as the TITANS are the reason why earth is no longer suitable for human life {{spoiler|as well as the Prometheans, who run Firewall}}.
* ''[[Eclipse Phase]]'' regularly uses Robo-Monkey muses and [[Average Joe Android]] to Nobel-Bot AGIs, and [[Deus Est Machina]] Seed [[A Is]] known as the TITANS are the reason why earth is no longer suitable for human life {{spoiler|as well as the Prometheans, who run Firewall}}.
* [[Dungeons and Dragons]] has the Construct creature type, which can denote anything from clockwork beings to servants made out of straw. The most iconic are probably the various types of golems, who have an intelligence score of "-", which means they are mindless automatons (as opposed to a score of zero, which is actually somewhat different). However, some constructs can be very intelligent, possibly moreso than most of the player characters.
* [[Dungeons and Dragons]] has the Construct creature type, which can denote anything from clockwork beings to servants made out of straw. The most iconic are probably the various types of golems, who have an intelligence score of "-", which means they are mindless automatons (as opposed to a score of zero, which is actually somewhat different). However, some constructs can be very intelligent, possibly moreso than most of the player characters.
* [[A Is]] in ''[[Paranoia]]'' typically vary around the first three tiers, with [[The Computer Is Your Friend|Friend Computer]] at around a low level 4. The bots that interact with the players are typically either Type 2s or Type 3s, with just enough [[Literal Genie|leeway]] to [[Second Law, My Ass|screw up the humans.]]
* [[A Is]] in ''[[Paranoia]]'' typically vary around the first three tiers, with [[The Computer Is Your Friend|Friend Computer]] at around a low level 4. The bots that interact with the players are typically either Type 2s or Type 3s, with just enough [[Literal Genie|leeway]] to [[Second Law, My Ass|screw up the humans.]]
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* There are 2 kinds of Human AIs in ''[[Halo]]'': Dumb [[A Is]], who, despite the name, are very smart, but cannot learn, and Smart AIs, like Cortana, who can learn. The Forerunner's Dumb AIs are on par with human Smart AIs. One example is 343 Guilty Spark. The Smart ones are amazingly smart and powerful.
* There are 2 kinds of Human AIs in ''[[Halo]]'': Dumb [[A Is]], who, despite the name, are very smart, but cannot learn, and Smart AIs, like Cortana, who can learn. The Forerunner's Dumb AIs are on par with human Smart AIs. One example is 343 Guilty Spark. The Smart ones are amazingly smart and powerful.
** Most Smart AIs start near Nobel-Bot level, but over time their very ability to learn pushes them toward the final level. Unfortunately, this evolution, called rampancy, is concurrent with increasing instability, decreasing interest in their assigned tasks, and overall insanity. As such most Smart [AI] are deleted after less than a decade of service.
** Most Smart AIs start near Nobel-Bot level, but over time their very ability to learn pushes them toward the final level. Unfortunately, this evolution, called rampancy, is concurrent with increasing instability, decreasing interest in their assigned tasks, and overall insanity. As such most Smart [AI] are deleted after less than a decade of service.
* Bungie's earlier game ''[[Marathon (Video Game)|Marathon]]'' had similar AIs: the AI would start somewhere near Nobel-bot, but with Rampancy, would very quickly develop into "machine god" stage. The plot of ''Marathon 2'' [[Xanatos Speed Chess|is what happens]] when you pit two Rampant AIs against each other. One of them has the stated intent to evolve into an ''actual'' god, surviving even the end of the universe itself ({{spoiler|but according to the ending of ''Infinity'', it fails}}).
* Bungie's earlier game ''[[Marathon Trilogy|Marathon]]'' had similar AIs: the AI would start somewhere near Nobel-bot, but with Rampancy, would very quickly develop into "machine god" stage. The plot of ''Marathon 2'' [[Xanatos Speed Chess|is what happens]] when you pit two Rampant AIs against each other. One of them has the stated intent to evolve into an ''actual'' god, surviving even the end of the universe itself ({{spoiler|but according to the ending of ''Infinity'', it fails}}).
* ''[[Mass Effect]]'' has the unusual example of the geth, who are actually at multiple possible stages of this, depending upon how many of them there are in the vicinity; "An individual geth has only a basic intelligence on par with animal instincts, but in groups they can reason, analyze situations, and use tactics as well as any of the organic races."
* ''[[Mass Effect]]'' has the unusual example of the geth, who are actually at multiple possible stages of this, depending upon how many of them there are in the vicinity; "An individual geth has only a basic intelligence on par with animal instincts, but in groups they can reason, analyze situations, and use tactics as well as any of the organic races."
** Also, another example is {{spoiler|the Reapers, who are definitely at the fifth stage and are at a kind of [[Cosmic Horror]] level -- though the geth worship them as robotic gods -- and have essentially farmed the organic races of the galaxy for millions of years, wiping them all out every so often once they reach a certain level of technological sophistication}}.
** Also, another example is {{spoiler|the Reapers, who are definitely at the fifth stage and are at a kind of [[Cosmic Horror]] level -- though the geth worship them as robotic gods -- and have essentially farmed the organic races of the galaxy for millions of years, wiping them all out every so often once they reach a certain level of technological sophistication}}.
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** Legion in [[Mass Effect 2|the sequel]] is between Average Joe and Nobel-Bot, [[Mind Hive|being an amalgam of programs rather than a single individual]]. When it connects to the main geth network, however, EDI states it made contact with something completely incomprehensible.
** Legion in [[Mass Effect 2|the sequel]] is between Average Joe and Nobel-Bot, [[Mind Hive|being an amalgam of programs rather than a single individual]]. When it connects to the main geth network, however, EDI states it made contact with something completely incomprehensible.
** EDI is a more straight example of a Nobel-Bot, with a far better understanding on the nature of organics than legion, as she expresses emotion (albeit limited by the rather monotone voice synthesizer she has; she expresses amusement at humor by flatly saying "That is a joke").
** EDI is a more straight example of a Nobel-Bot, with a far better understanding on the nature of organics than legion, as she expresses emotion (albeit limited by the rather monotone voice synthesizer she has; she expresses amusement at humor by flatly saying "That is a joke").
* Used straight, though spread out over time, in the ''[[Mega Man (Video Game)|Mega Man]]'' series. The chain goes Mechaniloid (brick or animal, basic enemy with simple programming), Robot Master (more complex, but still takes orders), Reploid ([[Ridiculously Human Robot]]), an ''[[Megaman Legends]]'' has some God level ones. Could someone that has played it explain what they were?
* Used straight, though spread out over time, in the ''[[Mega Man (video game)|Mega Man]]'' series. The chain goes Mechaniloid (brick or animal, basic enemy with simple programming), Robot Master (more complex, but still takes orders), Reploid ([[Ridiculously Human Robot]]), an ''[[Mega Man Legends]]'' has some God level ones. Could someone that has played it explain what they were?
** Mega Man Juno of ''[[Megaman Legends]]'' is somewhere between god-like levels and ridiculously human ones, being at least powerful enough to vaporize every Carbon on the island when activated, but as a "mere" 3rd class Bureaucratic Model he's neither invulnerable nor omnipotent ([[Affably Evil|and surprisingly polite right before trying to turn you into a cloud of dust]]). Data also plays somewhere between Brick and Man, being a literal mechanical monkey, but is very plot-important. Yuna and Sera are effectively robo-Gaia and robo-God, too -- the former effectively revives and possesses a woman on the brink of death.
** Mega Man Juno of ''[[Mega Man Legends]]'' is somewhere between god-like levels and ridiculously human ones, being at least powerful enough to vaporize every Carbon on the island when activated, but as a "mere" 3rd class Bureaucratic Model he's neither invulnerable nor omnipotent ([[Affably Evil|and surprisingly polite right before trying to turn you into a cloud of dust]]). Data also plays somewhere between Brick and Man, being a literal mechanical monkey, but is very plot-important. Yuna and Sera are effectively robo-Gaia and robo-God, too -- the former effectively revives and possesses a woman on the brink of death.
** The original Mega Man was somewhere between Robot Master and Reploid -- he wasn't supposed to truly be able to make his orders or violate the law of robotics but he did in a few cases with extreme duress. Mutos Reploids might go into the same category, since they're [[Funny Animal]] reploids built for military and civil protection of humans, but were also the main evil bosses throughout the series from X to ZX, since they had a tenancy to go crazy.
** The original Mega Man was somewhere between Robot Master and Reploid -- he wasn't supposed to truly be able to make his orders or violate the law of robotics but he did in a few cases with extreme duress. Mutos Reploids might go into the same category, since they're [[Funny Animal]] reploids built for military and civil protection of humans, but were also the main evil bosses throughout the series from X to ZX, since they had a tenancy to go crazy.
** The scale goes Mechanoid -> Robot Master -> Reploid -> Human/Reploid hybrids. Robot Masters had human level intelligence to varying degrees (child, teenager?) level. The main difference between Robot Masters are the removal of the "three laws" and ability to feel emotions, so they are tween/adult level human intelligence except for "kid" Reploids, animal or human models alike. By ZX the two begin to merge through the [[Technological Singularity]], and God level is actually after humans and robots merge so fully that there is no difference between the two. Some are human, some brick, some god.
** The scale goes Mechanoid -> Robot Master -> Reploid -> Human/Reploid hybrids. Robot Masters had human level intelligence to varying degrees (child, teenager?) level. The main difference between Robot Masters are the removal of the "three laws" and ability to feel emotions, so they are tween/adult level human intelligence except for "kid" Reploids, animal or human models alike. By ZX the two begin to merge through the [[Technological Singularity]], and God level is actually after humans and robots merge so fully that there is no difference between the two. Some are human, some brick, some god.
** In the parallel ''[[Mega Man Battle Network (Video Game)|Mega Man Battle Network]]'' series, the Navi counterparts of the Robot Masters fall around the same place on the scale as them. The exceptions are [[Bonus Boss|Bass]] and [[Heel Face Turn|Zero]], who are at or near Man, and Mega Man himself, who is an [[Brain Uploading|uploaded human]]. The [[Mega Man Star Force|FM-ians]] are life forms in their own right, and fall into Man category.
** In the parallel ''[[Mega Man Battle Network]]'' series, the Navi counterparts of the Robot Masters fall around the same place on the scale as them. The exceptions are [[Bonus Boss|Bass]] and [[Heel Face Turn|Zero]], who are at or near Man, and Mega Man himself, who is an [[Brain Uploading|uploaded human]]. The [[Mega Man Star Force|FM-ians]] are life forms in their own right, and fall into Man category.
* ''Star Frontiers'' RPG has six levels of robots, level 1 = brick (once they learn one job, their brains are full!), level 6 = ''literally'' program themselves, so levels 2-5 were in between.
* ''Star Frontiers'' RPG has six levels of robots, level 1 = brick (once they learn one job, their brains are full!), level 6 = ''literally'' program themselves, so levels 2-5 were in between.
* ''[[City of Heroes]]'' robots canonically vary from the mindless Council hovercraft and Rikti drones to the super-humanly intelligent Heroes Citadel and Luminary. Some robots, like the Council Mek Man, have different models that range from wind-up-toy-with-blaster to [[AI Is a Crapshoot|superintelligent beings focused on overthrowing humanity]]. Players tend to make robots between the Brick and Man stage or at the higher Man stages. Clockwork, surprisingly, can get close to the god-like level, {{spoiler|although they're not really robots.}}
* ''[[City of Heroes]]'' robots canonically vary from the mindless Council hovercraft and Rikti drones to the super-humanly intelligent Heroes Citadel and Luminary. Some robots, like the Council Mek Man, have different models that range from wind-up-toy-with-blaster to [[AI Is a Crapshoot|superintelligent beings focused on overthrowing humanity]]. Players tend to make robots between the Brick and Man stage or at the higher Man stages. Clockwork, surprisingly, can get close to the god-like level, {{spoiler|although they're not really robots.}}
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** Well, it may think it is Godlike, but it's more like Human level -- sure, synthesized life, but humans by the year the game takes place could probably do that left and right. And sure, it altered reality, but only by using human-created technology. Finally, it needs you to run around doing everything for it since it is just a computer program after all.
** Well, it may think it is Godlike, but it's more like Human level -- sure, synthesized life, but humans by the year the game takes place could probably do that left and right. And sure, it altered reality, but only by using human-created technology. Finally, it needs you to run around doing everything for it since it is just a computer program after all.
*** Humans in ''System Shock 2'' don't seem to have much more sophisticated biological technologies than we do today. One part of SHODAN's mind constructed the ancestors of [[Hive Mind|the Many]] as a quick experiment. Humans may have created the FTL drive, but it took SHODAN to turn it into a universe-consuming reality warping weapon that would have made her a literal god. SHODAN needed the PC to begin the process as no other systems were handy and time was short. You are disposed of quickly enough once you usefulness ends and the AI becomes independent.
*** Humans in ''System Shock 2'' don't seem to have much more sophisticated biological technologies than we do today. One part of SHODAN's mind constructed the ancestors of [[Hive Mind|the Many]] as a quick experiment. Humans may have created the FTL drive, but it took SHODAN to turn it into a universe-consuming reality warping weapon that would have made her a literal god. SHODAN needed the PC to begin the process as no other systems were handy and time was short. You are disposed of quickly enough once you usefulness ends and the AI becomes independent.
* ''[[Portal (Video Game)|Portal]]'' has GlaDOS, a rather curious and quite insane AI which appears to be about the Nobel-Bot level.
* ''[[Portal (series)|Portal]]'' has GlaDOS, a rather curious and quite insane AI which appears to be about the Nobel-Bot level.
** [[Portal 2 (Video Game)|Portal 2]] gave us Wheatley, who's at the low end of "Average Joe Android" and was supposedly designed to be a moron in one of many attempts to make GLaDOS behave.
** [[Portal 2]] gave us Wheatley, who's at the low end of "Average Joe Android" and was supposedly designed to be a moron in one of many attempts to make GLaDOS behave.
*** Aw, heck, a lot of the machines in Portal 2 (including the Enrichment Center itself) either belong or are treated as though they belong somewhere on the scale.
*** Aw, heck, a lot of the machines in Portal 2 (including the Enrichment Center itself) either belong or are treated as though they belong somewhere on the scale.
**** And there really isn't any way to tell where the Companion Cube is ( [[G La DOS]] does claim that it is sentient, after all).
**** And there really isn't any way to tell where the Companion Cube is ( [[G La DOS]] does claim that it is sentient, after all).
* ''[[Command and Conquer Tiberium|Command & Conquer Tiberian Sun]]'''s CABAL is definitely not a God-level AI, but is almost certainly above Human-level, despite apparently being not much more than a tactician and strategist. EVA is little more than a Brick right from the first Tiberian game to the last, and LEGION from Tiberium Wars is a [[Silent Protagonist]] somewhere between Brick, Human and God depending on the player. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGFi2hJDw5E#t=37s Scrin Motherships] are definitely at Nobel-Bot level ''at minimum''.
* ''[[Command and Conquer Tiberium|Command & Conquer Tiberian Sun]]'''s CABAL is definitely not a God-level AI, but is almost certainly above Human-level, despite apparently being not much more than a tactician and strategist. EVA is little more than a Brick right from the first Tiberian game to the last, and LEGION from Tiberium Wars is a [[Silent Protagonist]] somewhere between Brick, Human and God depending on the player. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGFi2hJDw5E#t=37s Scrin Motherships] are definitely at Nobel-Bot level ''at minimum''.
* ''[[Final Fantasy XIII]]'' interestingly gives us all five in varying degrees. fal'Cie are literally God Machines capable of complex thought and philosophizing; then you have machines like the pulsework knights that only serve a single function. We see a group of hulking Juggernaut robots late in the game that normally operate like 1s but turn into 3s in order to protect one of the party members.
* ''[[Final Fantasy XIII]]'' interestingly gives us all five in varying degrees. fal'Cie are literally God Machines capable of complex thought and philosophizing; then you have machines like the pulsework knights that only serve a single function. We see a group of hulking Juggernaut robots late in the game that normally operate like 1s but turn into 3s in order to protect one of the party members.
* [[Chrono Trigger (Video Game)|Chrono Trigger]] and [[Chrono Cross (Video Game)|Chrono Cross]] together have robots which may cover the entire scale (except perhaps type 2): security drones and mannequins, average human-likes (Robo and his batch), Mother Brain, and then FATE.
* [[Chrono Trigger]] and [[Chrono Cross]] together have robots which may cover the entire scale (except perhaps type 2): security drones and mannequins, average human-likes (Robo and his batch), Mother Brain, and then FATE.




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== Web Comics ==
== Web Comics ==
* Averted in ''[[Freefall (Webcomic)|Freefall]]'', where individual machines vary from non-sentient trucks or toys to self-aware but fairly stupid robotic moving devices to robots with the capacity for significantly innovative and creative thought. Dvorak is creative enough to be dangerous to himself and others, almost on the level of [[Discworld|Leonard of Quirm]]. Florence herself is almost certainly more intelligent that most humans, but not so much as to be off the scale. Some AI even modify themselves. There are no god-like robots -- yet -- since most of them are built by the lowest bidder, though.
* Averted in ''[[Freefall]]'', where individual machines vary from non-sentient trucks or toys to self-aware but fairly stupid robotic moving devices to robots with the capacity for significantly innovative and creative thought. Dvorak is creative enough to be dangerous to himself and others, almost on the level of [[Discworld|Leonard of Quirm]]. Florence herself is almost certainly more intelligent that most humans, but not so much as to be off the scale. Some AI even modify themselves. There are no god-like robots -- yet -- since most of them are built by the lowest bidder, though.
* ''[[Heliothaumic]]'' has [http://thaumic.net/2008/05/20/66-mommy-issues/ ARIA], a limited AI being created by Kiyohara Takako and other faculty members at Basotei University.
* ''[[Heliothaumic]]'' has [http://thaumic.net/2008/05/20/66-mommy-issues/ ARIA], a limited AI being created by Kiyohara Takako and other faculty members at Basotei University.
* Averted in ''[[Schlock Mercenary (Webcomic)|Schlock Mercenary]]'' where a scale known as the Henke/Ventura scale is used to measure the "intelligence" of an AI -- TAG, an AI optimized for running a starship who is human to sub-human in most other fields, is a 2.5, while Ennesby, who is capable of above-human capabilities across the board, is a 4. Regardless of their scale number, all AIs have advantages humans do not, such as near-instant reaction times.
* Averted in ''[[Schlock Mercenary]]'' where a scale known as the Henke/Ventura scale is used to measure the "intelligence" of an AI -- TAG, an AI optimized for running a starship who is human to sub-human in most other fields, is a 2.5, while Ennesby, who is capable of above-human capabilities across the board, is a 4. Regardless of their scale number, all AIs have advantages humans do not, such as near-instant reaction times.
** Ennesby also provides a good example of how the scale can change when the hardware (or programming) of the AI is altered, making their intelligence on a true sliding scale.
** Ennesby also provides a good example of how the scale can change when the hardware (or programming) of the AI is altered, making their intelligence on a true sliding scale.
** And then there's [[Physical God|Petey]], who is currently {{spoiler|at war with the Andromeda galaxy}}.
** And then there's [[Physical God|Petey]], who is currently {{spoiler|at war with the Andromeda galaxy}}.
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== Western Animation ==
== Western Animation ==
* The Vehicons of ''Transformers: [[Beast Machines (Animation)|Beast Machines]]'' and the Terrorcons of ''[[Transformers Armada|Transformers: Energon]]'' are basically the Brick type (although we should refrain from calling them that, seeing as "brick" is a Transfandom term for a toy that has ''very'' limited movement). This is because they don't have sparks, [[Our Souls Are Different|the "souls" of Cybertronians]], so it's [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?|A-OK to kill them]].
* The Vehicons of ''Transformers: [[Beast Machines]]'' and the Terrorcons of ''[[Transformers Armada|Transformers: Energon]]'' are basically the Brick type (although we should refrain from calling them that, seeing as "brick" is a Transfandom term for a toy that has ''very'' limited movement). This is because they don't have sparks, [[Our Souls Are Different|the "souls" of Cybertronians]], so it's [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?|A-OK to kill them]].
** Most Transformers, though, fall into the human intelligence slot, though the level of intelligence varies within that about as much as it does for humans, with [[Dumb Muscle]] like Tidal Wave on the low end, almost dumb enough to qualify as a Robo-Monkey himself, while the most gifted scientific minds of Cybertron, such as Perceptor, easily reach Nobel-Bot territory.
** Most Transformers, though, fall into the human intelligence slot, though the level of intelligence varies within that about as much as it does for humans, with [[Dumb Muscle]] like Tidal Wave on the low end, almost dumb enough to qualify as a Robo-Monkey himself, while the most gifted scientific minds of Cybertron, such as Perceptor, easily reach Nobel-Bot territory.
*** While Primus, Unicron, Vector Sigma, and the 13 are different grades of Deus Est Machina.
*** While Primus, Unicron, Vector Sigma, and the 13 are different grades of Deus Est Machina.
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** "The only remaining stopgaps" indeed. Fluent natural language processing is an AI-Hard problem (from the mathematical term, NP-Hard). You probably can't do it without a true AI, but you can't make a true AI until you have fluent language processing...
** "The only remaining stopgaps" indeed. Fluent natural language processing is an AI-Hard problem (from the mathematical term, NP-Hard). You probably can't do it without a true AI, but you can't make a true AI until you have fluent language processing...
** There is much more to a Strong AI than just communication capability, but that particular matter is hardly an absolute stopgap. A learning, language-specific weak AI should be perfectly sufficient once we get the algorithms right; research into human language-learning and related neurology will most likely play a major part in this development.
** There is much more to a Strong AI than just communication capability, but that particular matter is hardly an absolute stopgap. A learning, language-specific weak AI should be perfectly sufficient once we get the algorithms right; research into human language-learning and related neurology will most likely play a major part in this development.
* Present artificial intelligences are of course, on the Brick level with some in-roads to the Robo-Monkey level. Entities like Roombas, ASIMO, the Mars Exploration Rovers, Deep Blue and [[Jeopardy (TV)|Watson]] are, while neat feats of engineering, all Bricks.
* Present artificial intelligences are of course, on the Brick level with some in-roads to the Robo-Monkey level. Entities like Roombas, ASIMO, the Mars Exploration Rovers, Deep Blue and [[Jeopardy!|Watson]] are, while neat feats of engineering, all Bricks.


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