A.I. AC

An A.I. AC is an unmanned Armored Core piloted by either an onboard computer or artificial intelligence. These machines play an important role in many of the Armored Core games, usually as an antagonist that The Raven must overcome but in a select few cases, can be utilized by the player themselves.

Abilities

An A.I. operated AC will typically have stats above the norm and their builds often include cannon weaponry which is supported by their Human PLUS abilities. To this end, A.I. ACs will typically carry around very effective and damaging weaponry. Not bound by human limitations, they're also far greater threats than most Ravens due to increased reaction time, target acquisition and energy management. Their weapons also tend to be customized to support functions such as rapid fire on rifle-type weapons.

Appearances

Armored Core and Armored Core: Master of Arena

The AC Nine-Ball is piloted by an AI known as H-1, mingling with humans with the undercover identities Hustler One and Lana Nielsen, and appears as an opponent to the Raven in both games. The unit is distinctly colored in a red and black scheme and its pulse rifle can fire in three-shot rapid bursts while carrying a missile launcher and a grenade launcher. In Master of Arena, it is revealed that the Nine Ball is a mass-production unit with a completely customized and unique model called Nineball Seraph stationed deep within an unnamed factory at an undisclosed location.

Armored Core 2

An unmanned AC referred to as AC Klein Fake appears at Rapture attempting to destroy the reactors though it mainly acts as a dummy while the real Klein is elsewhere moving his plans forward. Its frame is identical to the AC Leos uses, it is red in color and uses a different set of weapons. Upon defeat, it repeats its pre-recorded message until it blows up.

Armored Core 2: Another Age

Both Nineball Seraph and a recreation of Stinger's AC Vixen appear as post-game bonus opponents, stationed at a mysterious area known as the Lost Field. While Nineball Seraph is relatively unchanged, Vixen's core is now armed with a spread laser cannon similar to Phantasma. Like the Klein Fake, Vixen has a pre-recorded message though garbled ("I don't like annoyances...").

Armored Core 3

Much like the original continuity, Armored Core 3 features a ruling AI known as the Controller who controls the lives of all living in Layered and even controls the warring Corporations. When the Controller begins to go haywire, it deploys several of its own AC units as commanding units on attacks targeted towards the corporations known as Controller Agents. These ACs all share a navy blue and gray color scheme with the MHD-MM/003 and MCM-MX/002 as their signature basic frame. Like the Nine-Ball units, they exhibit Human PLUS abilities and can fire their cannon weapons without restrictions.

Silent Line: Armored Core

Artificial intelligence plays a central role in story as well as the gameplay. While the mysterious Artificial Intelligence Office, later known to be IBIS, has offered their technology to each of the corporations, they have also been secretly developing their own experimental AI unmanned models. These AI units share a dark brown and gray color scheme but unlike the Controller Agents, do not have a uniformed frame. IBIS also has two unique models similar to ACs but use technology and schematics foreign to the Ravens. One, the I-C003-IN is a mass-produced model while the IBIS's main computer is guarded by the I-CFFF-SERRE, a completely black machine whose fighting style adapts to its opponents, making it completely dependent on the Raven's preferences.

This is also the very first game where the player can construct their own A.I. AC. The machine is made based off of a pre-existing schematic made by the player, but will have their own separate name. The A.I.'s battle style is completely based off of the player's own actions, accumulating battle data when it is pitted against previously defeated Arena opponents. The tougher the opponent, the more likely the AI will become able to properly mimic the Raven's fighting style. While they will carry all of their strengths, they will also exhibit their weaknesses as well.

Armored Core: Nine Breaker

Unmanned ACs are used in the Raven's tests serving to evaluate their ability as a mechanic and a pilot. For this purpose, many of the ACs will not carry weapons save for a few categories. These ACs either have a white and orange color scheme with blue details or a white and black palette with red details. The final opponent in the game is a modern revision of the original Nine-Ball unit known as Baby's Breath piloted by the AI Code: Crimson, armed with a new linear rifle that, like its previous pulse rifle, can fire in a three-shot burst.

Armored Core: Formula Front

Unlike previous installments, A.I. ACs are used exclusively for sport in a competition called Formula Front. Rather than using manned models, these Unmanned ACs (u-ACs) are a reflection of their AC build preferences rather than their fighting style. The people behind these creations are known as Architects rather than Ravens and they work for a a team rather than independently.

Armored Core V and Armored Core: Verdict Day

Chief, pilot of AC Hanged Man, is a completely self-aware AI and a "descendant" of the League of Ruling Companies' AI network whose purpose is to run experiments, oversee and keep humanity alive, and restore Earth to its former glory alongside his Operator, Carol Dorry. The most outstanding proof of this is that although he had been destroyed after getting kicked in Mission 05, and after being defeated once in Mission 07, he was still "alive". He also states after being reactivated that "human beings are just so damn interesting!" in a garbled voice, similar to what the system voice sounds like when an Ultimate Weapon is active.

At least a century later, there are UNACs who serve as both enemies and allies. In the main storyline, UNACs are a step above the normal enemies but can still be easily taken down. However, unlike the unmanned units from previous games, UNACs have very cheap parts with equally inexpensive weaponry as opposed to the high-end parts used by Controller Agents. In multiplayer, they serve the same function as before in that their fighting style is based off of the player's, though this time they are geared towards compensating for any weaknesses the player has rather than being a direct emulation of them.

There are also Phantasma Beings, humans who have been digitized, meaning they could become one with a craft. A notable example is Magnolia Curtis, who abandoned her disabled flesh after joining the Reaper Squad to pilot her AC once again.

ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON

There are four known examples of AI who pilot Armored Cores. The first is RaD's second-in-command "Chatty" Stick, a suggestion-based artificial intelligence created by "Cinder" Carla. Besides being sentient and capable of emotion, he can also pilot the AC CIRCUS. The second might be Kate Markson, who is likely a part of ALLMIND or a fake identity used by ALLMIND herself. She pilots the AC TRANSCRIBER. And the third and last are ALLMIND and G5 Iguazu after his consciousness was digitized to be a part of ALLMIND in the Alea Iacta Est route. They both pilot the AC MIND GAMMA during the first phase of the fight in the final mission of Alea Iacta Est.

Other than Chatty, Kate, ALLMIND and Iguazu, A.I.-controlled ACs are not regularly used by the other currently active factions in Rubicon 3, but before the Fires of Ibis, the Rubicon Research Institute created several Coral-powered unmanned weapons of all sorts and sizes. One of those C-Weapons was the IA-C01: EPHEMERA, a deadly mass-produced unmanned AC. Most were destroyed by the Fires, but at least one remains active in the depths of the planet's Grids, under the control of the PCA's Enforcement System. The RRI also created the Ibis Series of unmanned ACs to prevent Coral disasters. One of those models, the IB-01: CEL 240 is fought at the end of Chapter 4. Due to the efficiency of Coral, the surviving ACs have remained functional and active for 50 years.

In the game's endings, due to their nature as sapient Coral lifeforms, Rubiconians are capable of piloting unmanned craft and ACs, which Ayre uses to her advantage in the Fires of Raven ending and Alea Iacta Est route. In Alea Iacta Est's final mission, she pilots a white EPHEMERA designated ECHO to fight ALLMIND and Iguazu alongside C4-621.