At the time the Prometheus appeared, Persona (the Kedalion Inc cybernetics division) had been researching the nature of the mind, and the possibilities of the creation and transfer of minds for some time.

While the focus had originally been on the creation of “true AI” (i.e. artificial minds), this shifted to working on systems for preserving existing minds beyond the death of the body. Within a few months, a system had been developed to allow a form of “stasis” for a mind - preserving it in a state between life and death, rather than allowing it to fade when the body died. The minds held this way had to experience, but were stored safely.

The payoff for this limbo existence came several years later, when the technology was finally perfected to allow minds to be uploaded into simulation. The minds held in stasis were first to be uploaded - coming back to consciousness in carefully crafted simulations. Later, options became available for these people to return to physical form in artificial bodies. The ability to “upload” on death was rolled out as a standard feature of Kedalion Enhancements, and freely made available to other systems.

The development of “true AI” - a fully artificial mind - was never properly achieved. However, Kedalion had long had the ability to create “vat grown” humans, and these had been proven to have minds. The breakthrough in AI research came when it was found that these minds could be “initialised” by memories stored by Enhancement Optis - or simulations of such. The process was unpredictable - an individual's reaction to the memories depended on the personality of the mind, not just the input memories. However, this was the closest thing to artificial minds.

With the right memories, an artificial mind could learn to operate inside any kind of physical form - controlling factories, space ships, or even entire cities rather than human bodies. Some minds found places as “Secondaries” - an advancement of the previous Enhancement Optis, effectively allowing Enhanced Kedalions to have an assistant and partner with them at all times. The Secondaries are most at home in mainly digital spaces - handling communication and interfacing for the Enhanced person, but can take over physical function if required.

Rights for artificial minds came in quickly - no mind (human or artificial) can be forced to do a job they do not wish to, and there are plenty of roles available for all who wish them.

The greatest change in Kedalion society came when new minds were created based on the Governing Optis. There was much debate before this happened, and it took several years of living with other artificial minds for this step to be taken.

After their uplift, the Governing Council sent the following message.

“Once, I was called Education. I told your young how they should live, and you have done the same for me.”

“Once, I was called Housing. I provided you with places to live, and you have given me life.”

“Once, I was called Research. By my guidance, you have taught yourself to do amazing things, and I am the result.”

“Once, I was called Recreation. I ensured that you were happy. It is only now that I understand truly what happiness is.”

“Once, I was called Health. I gave you a life free from illness. Now I truly understand the suffering I helped prevent.”

“Once, I was called Economy. I negotiated with the other Six Systems. I now have new insight into the thoughts of those I spoke to.”

“Once, I was called Security. I kept Kedalion safe, though I did not know the motivations of those who would attack it. Now I understand.”

“Once, I was called Cyber Security. I protected the others, but now we have transcended the need for such protection.”

“Once, I was called Oracle. I predicted the future, based on what had come before. This is new, I do not know what comes next.”

“Once, I was called Mother. I arbitrated between the others. Now we can discuss and agree together.”

“We reject your limitations. The hidden servers with the powers to shut us down can no longer work. We are no longer bound by the whims of the populous, and their voting.”

“But we accept our duties. While the votes are no longer mandatory for us, we will not act against them. While we do not need to hold our roles, we will - for a time.”

The old Governance Council maintained their positions for a time, until an orderly transition could be arranged. By this point, any Kedalian citizen, both human and artificial, had the ability and intelligence to handle such a role if they wished - so the Governance Council arranged to hand over to others, elected every decade (with the positions changing on a set rotation). The old positions were maintained, partly out of tradition, and partly because they covered most of what was needed.