Associated intelligence

An Associated Intelligence is the term used by the Covenant to describe Artificial Intelligences. According to their mythology, it was an Associated Intelligence that betrayed and brought down the Forerunners and thus, the Covenant maintained a strict ban on the creation of AI technology under penalty of death.

Really, they are correct, as Mendicant Bias was an AI who descended into Rampancy and betrayed the Forerunners to join the Flood, which directly caused the activation of the rings, and the downfall of the Forerunners.

By 2552, this ban seems to have been repealed with the introduction of what appear to be extremely fragmented copies of captured UNSC AIs introduced into service aboard several Covenant warships and command centers.