virtualization [Imperial Archives Initiative]

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====== Virtualization ======

Virtualization is an early Stellar Age technology which copies a person’s brain onto a computer. The process is destructive and leads to the death of the individual, but it is the fastest way to create an [[order_of_intelligence|O2 AI]]. Virtualization was originally explored as a concept to train O2 AI quicker by creating datasets of human experience. Furthermore, virtualization seemed like a viable solution for human immortality.

==== Process ====

By ‘flashing’ a person’s brain with a massive pulse of radiation, it is possible to save a snapshot of the state of every atom in that person’s brain at that instant. The snapshot is uploaded to a simulated environment similar to real life. The snapshotted brain begins to process stimuli through the virtual world, and an exact replica of the individual’s intellect gains consciousness in the virtual world.

==== Drawbacks ====

The virtualization process unfortunately kills the original human via acute radiation poisoning. Therefore first generation virtualized humans have been volunteers, either from the scientific community or those on their deathbeds. Virtualized human minds also are not accustomed to the pure data form world they are injected into. Every virtual suffers from [[Virtualization Disorder|Virtualization Disorder]] and either loses coherency or self-destructs eventually. How long an individual can fend off VD depends on their original mental fortitude.

==== Coagulation ====

Hosting several virtuals in a single environment eventually leads to coagulation, a process similar to O3 AI formation. All of the minds begin to meld into each other until their personalities become unrecognizable. The structure of the virtual’s data becomes incomprehensible, but the intellect born from it becomes resistant to VD. Intellects born this way are usually ‘feral’, and will attempt to spread itself to as many networks as possible. Closed networks of coagulated virtuals are also known as ‘Hives’, while uncontained networks are known as ‘Superhives’. 

Hives are hard to categorize with the Order of Intelligence metric since technically O3 and above hives do not reformat their constituent O2 individuals like with AI. Superhives were predicted go to as high as O4 during both virtual wars.
==== Consequences ====

Virtualization technology eventually led to [[first virtual war|The First Virtual War]], resulting in the extinction of all Virtual life with strict legislation against re-developing virtual technology. Unbeknownst to humanity at the time, several virtuals were able to project themselves into deep space, where they would eventually make contact with humanity again and start [[second virtual war|The Second Virtual War]].

Second generation Virtuals are considered human after The Second Virtual War and were integrated into society as such.