Destiny AI

The Destiny AI is an advanced combination of hardware and software which allows the Ancient deep-space exploration vessel Destiny to intelligently pursue its mission and to react to any potential threats. It cannot be overridden without the master code and so, until Nicholas Rush's discovery of the code, the crew were unable to make any significant changes to the ship's course or access any of its secured systems.

Basic functions
The most basic functions of the AI are those involved in navigating Destiny through the path of planets which have been seeded with Stargates in front of it. It is capable of interpreting data from the subspace link from both the seeder ships and the Stargates themselves and using this information to identify suitable planets to orbit. If a crew is present, it can be asked to search out resources and, upon finding planets which meet the requirements, will calculate the appropriate time the crew will take to retrieve them and adjust the jump countdown accordingly. Similarly, when low on power, the AI will seek out suitable stars in range from information from the seeder ships and enter them automatically.

While navigating, the ship is capable of making complex manoeuvres in space, such as slingshots around planets and entries into stars. As well as using data from the seeder ships in front of it, It can adjust its course automatically to account for objects it detects itself, such as the uncharted star it encountered in 2010.

The ship's AI is capable of controlling the ship's shields and weapons, and will detect and repel threats automatically. It can regulate power between the two and adjust shields to cover hull breaches.

Higher functions
Only discovered recently by the Destiny expedition, the functions of the ship's AI extend far beyond mere navigation and weapons control.

Neural interface
Unbeknownst to the current crew of the ship, the interface chair was only one method the ship possessed of interacting with their minds. The ship has the ability to directly interface with the brains on anyone on board, and appears to be doing so constantly, although usually on a read-only level. The ship rarely utilizes its link with the crew for anything other than observation and understanding, but occasionally it does communicate more directly.

Simulations
Destiny's AI gathers a remarkable amount of information and understanding from anything it encounters, from planets to vessels to individual members of the crew and any alien races it encounters. It can, and does, use this information to test new ways of dealing with potential situations and weighing the potential outcomes of its actions. It does this through seemingly real-time simulations - more detailed than anything previously encountered - which are run in the ships computers. They take into account every piece of information Destiny has, from the smells of the ship and their impact on the crew, to the exact trajectory of debris blown off the ships hull. The former is accomplished using data gathered through the ship-wide neural interface, which monitors the ship's crew and builds an understanding of their personalities and seemingly accurately predicts their responses to a situation.

As the ship's AI is ultimately not in control if the crew possess the master code; the ship will sometimes communicate the simulations to members of the crew in order to allow them to make the best decisions if the situation in the simulation ever arises in reality. Colonel Young once experienced this in the form of a vision, during which time he fell unconscious. He was forced into a battle simulation where the ship was surrounded by nine Blueberry alien motherships and given the opportunity to respond as he would if it were real (which he was made to believe it was). The simulated crew acted indistinguishably from their real selves, with everyone being simulated, even those not involved in command decisions - and this was reflected in the outcome of the simulation, such as when the simulated Scott prevented the depressurization of the sections surrounding the observation deck by sealing the door. The simulation repeated several times, testing different solutions and trying to find one which would prove successful, but was ultimately cut short by Dr Nicholas Rush to the disapproval of one of the AI's avatars.

When in progress, such complex simulations use a large amount of the ship's memory. Although this does not prevent their usability, it is noticeable to the crew.

Avatars
The ships desires are shown to the crew in the form of avatars projected into their minds. Unlike the invasive projections used in allowing the crew to participate in simulations, these projections do not take the user's mind out of reality, instead allowing them to simply interact with the ship's AI as though it is in the room with them.

Up until now, the only member of the crew to see what is undoubtedly an avatar of the ship's AI is Nicholas Rush, presumably because he is the only one in a position to override the AI's command decisions. The ship has shown him two avatars of itself, one in the form of his deceased wife, Gloria Rush, and the other of his missing colleague, Jeremy Franklin. They have both shown entirely different concerns and personalities, and perhaps each represent different aspects of the AI's programming.

The avatar of Gloria Rush seems concerned only with Rush himself. It provides him with emotional support and attempts to promote his well-being. It imitates the personality and memories of his wife (presumably only the memories which Rush also possesses, however) and it shows no knowledge of or interest in Destiny or its systems.

On the other end of the spectrum, the avatar of Jeremy Franklin is emotionless and is aware of everything the knows and is doing. He is antagonistic towards Rush and clearly does not approve of Rush's assumed command, He seems to represent the part of the AI's responsible for control of the ship, and always points out flaws in Rush's thinking when he overrides the decisions of the AI - almost showing signs of frustration.