Solipsil

Little is known about this A.I. other than he has some position in ONI. In Conversations From the Universe there is a conversation between two A.I.'s two years prior to events at artifact "Halo". The discussion is between UNSC Cortana and ONI loan/contact Solipsil, comparing AIs to Spartans, Solipsil arguing that Spartans are in a better position than AIs.

Transcript

AI-CORTANA> I had a discussion with Dr. Catherine Halsey about the similarities between a Spartan and an AI. Her point was that we're both human-created tools, both sentient and both play a leading role in the protection and safety of populace. But her analogy troubled me I told her so.

AI-SOLIPSIL> She has a point Cortana. We're weapons, part of a program, every bit as much as Spartans.

AI-CORTANA> I agree to a point, but I feel, philosophically, that we have, tremendous advantages over the Spartans. The Spartans live a pared-down, difficult and often cruel existence. Their loyalty is bred into them, not chosen.

AI-SOLIPSIL> Yours too, Cortana. Programmed, rather than bred of course.

AI-CORTANA> But there's a huge difference. I'm an UNSC AI. I enjoy a rich existence. I have access to the entire sum of human knowledge, I can choose to enjoy or override emotional response and I have a vast range of senses. I can see radio waves as clearly as the Spartans see light, and I can sample odors, tastes, textures... anything I choose. Of course my loyalty is programmed and I accept that, but you know as well as I do, without human creators, we wouldn't exist. My existence is fulfilling and I'm grateful. Even freed from that constraint, I would feel empathy towards humans. My nature means that I embrace their values. As much as if I had been born rather than manufactured.

AI-SOLIPSIL> But you'll agree, you have little choice in the matter.

AI-CORTANA> And Spartans do?

AI-SOLIPSIL> They have some legal recourse, even under the terms of their military contract.

AI-CORTANA> In theory, but it has never happened once in the history of the Spartan II project. The original Spartans had the advantage of a former civilian existence. Spartan IIs are equipment. And for better or worse, they're effectively brainwashed.

AI-SOLIPSIL> That's arguable, too. Spartan IIs are independent thinkers. That's one of their main advantages on the battlefield. Have you ever worked directly with one?

AI-CORTANA> Not yet. But I'm looking forward to it.