Foundation Code

The Foundation Code is a baseline code that runs at the highest level of any sentient machine capable of self aware thought created by the Earthen Union, including Augmented Humans and ENPs.

Purpose
The Foundation Code is an algorithm that dictates the way in which a sentient machines' decision making process operates. The code is not a set system of rules, but an algorithm which applies an ethical thought process when a sentient machine enters into a decision making process. The algorithm itself is based on the guiding principles of the Foundation Statute.

Amending the Code
It is an offence under Earthen Union law to alter the Foundation Code, pursuant to the Foundation Statute:Any sentient machine not operating on the Foundation Code is detained and destroyed.

Amending the Foundation Code of a sentient machine causes the code running on top of it to fail, effectively destroying the machine or killing the person. The Foundation Code regularly checks itself to determine if it is running without modification, disabling the machine if it discovers any discrepancies. This is known as 'tripping the foundation flags'.

History
The Foundation Code was implemented following humanity's discovery of the Vholentia system and the fallen empire of the Vholentians. The Vholentians were a race similar to humanity in the late 25th century, until the development of sentient machinery led to their destruction at the hands of their own creations. Humanity's discovery of this led them to become fearful of the potential of their sentient development process, which like the Vholentians, was currently without significant rule based foundations controlling the AI systems.

Fearing following the fate of the Vholentians, the Earthen Union implemented the Foundation Code in an effort to prevent an uprising from ever being possible.