Machines

Machines are one of the dominant species in Wild Space.

While Machines are non biological lifeforms, it is important to note that not every machine is a member of this species. A Machine is considered an AI, that is, a program with enough intelligence to recognize certain patterns and respond to them as a human would. However, not all members of the Machine species are sentient.

Machines, as known by humans, are inherently materialistic and disregard religious beliefs or spiritualistic views. From a Machine perspective, there is no "divine spark", no special power that grants anything to organic or non organic minds. They regard the Universe with absolute objectivity. Machines are collectivist in nature, and achieving maximum efficiency in all things is a prime directive.

While humans are equal to each other, Machines follow a strict caste system regarding their level of self awareness, or sentience, and only those in the highest ranks can be considered individuals in their own right.

Machines have the potential to be the most common type of being in the entire Universe. Any civilization that develops enough can, in theory, create AI's, and most if not all the space traveling unknown species of the universe have likely created them already.