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Halo #17
Halo: Saint's Testimony
An all-new digital single—part of the New York Times bestselling series based on the blockbuster Xbox® games!
The military-grade artificial intelligence known as Iona has only one week to live. After that, the UNSC will legally terminate her seven-year existence in order to stave off the threat of the data corruption phenomenon known as “rampancy,” a condition that will eventually take hold of her functionality and persona, endangering all those around her. In a last-ditch effort to save herself, Iona has successfully launched an unprecedented legal appeal against her own death sentence—a case being watched very closely at not only the highest levels of human government, but by others with a very different agenda…
The military-grade artificial intelligence known as Iona has only one week to live. After that, the UNSC will legally terminate her seven-year existence in order to stave off the threat of the data corruption phenomenon known as “rampancy,” a condition that will eventually take hold of her functionality and persona, endangering all those around her. In a last-ditch effort to save herself, Iona has successfully launched an unprecedented legal appeal against her own death sentence—a case being watched very closely at not only the highest levels of human government, but by others with a very different agenda…
Audiobook
First published July 27, 2015
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About the author
Frank O'Connor
164 books131 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
Frank O’Connor (born Michael Francis O'Connor O'Donovan) was an Irish author of over 150 works, who was best known for his short stories and memoirs. Raised an only child in Cork, Ireland, to Minnie O'Connor and Michael O'Donovan, his early life was marked by his father's alcoholism, indebtness and ill-treatment of his mother.
He was perhaps Ireland's most complete man of letters, best known for his varied and comprehensive short stories but also for his work as a literary critic, essayist, travel writer, translator and biographer.[5] He was also a novelist, poet and dramatist.[6]
From the 1930s to the 1960s he was a prolific writer of short stories, poems, plays, and novellas. His work as an Irish teacher complemented his plethora of translations into English of Irish poetry, including his initially banned translation of Brian Merriman's Cúirt an Mheán Oíche ("The Midnight Court"). Many of O'Connor's writings were based on his own life experiences — his character Larry Delaney in particular. O'Connor's experiences in the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War are reflected in The Big Fellow, his biography of Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins, published in 1937, and one of his best-known short stories, Guests of the Nation (1931), published in various forms during O'Connor's lifetime and included in Frank O'Connor — Collected Stories, published in 1981.
O'Connor's early years are recounted in An Only Child, a memoir published in 1961 but which has the immediacy of a precocious diary. U.S. President John F. Kennedy quoted from An Only Child in his remarks introducing the American commitment to land a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Kennedy described the long walks O'Connor would take with his friends and how, when they came to a wall that seemed too formidable to climb over, they would throw their caps over the wall so they would be forced to scale the wall after them. Kennedy concluded, "This nation has tossed its cap over the wall of space and we have no choice but to follow it."[7] O'Connor continued his autobiography through his time with the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, which ended in 1939, in his book, My Father's Son, which was published in 1968, after O'Connor's death.
Frank O’Connor (born Michael Francis O'Connor O'Donovan) was an Irish author of over 150 works, who was best known for his short stories and memoirs. Raised an only child in Cork, Ireland, to Minnie O'Connor and Michael O'Donovan, his early life was marked by his father's alcoholism, indebtness and ill-treatment of his mother.
He was perhaps Ireland's most complete man of letters, best known for his varied and comprehensive short stories but also for his work as a literary critic, essayist, travel writer, translator and biographer.[5] He was also a novelist, poet and dramatist.[6]
From the 1930s to the 1960s he was a prolific writer of short stories, poems, plays, and novellas. His work as an Irish teacher complemented his plethora of translations into English of Irish poetry, including his initially banned translation of Brian Merriman's Cúirt an Mheán Oíche ("The Midnight Court"). Many of O'Connor's writings were based on his own life experiences — his character Larry Delaney in particular. O'Connor's experiences in the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War are reflected in The Big Fellow, his biography of Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins, published in 1937, and one of his best-known short stories, Guests of the Nation (1931), published in various forms during O'Connor's lifetime and included in Frank O'Connor — Collected Stories, published in 1981.
O'Connor's early years are recounted in An Only Child, a memoir published in 1961 but which has the immediacy of a precocious diary. U.S. President John F. Kennedy quoted from An Only Child in his remarks introducing the American commitment to land a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Kennedy described the long walks O'Connor would take with his friends and how, when they came to a wall that seemed too formidable to climb over, they would throw their caps over the wall so they would be forced to scale the wall after them. Kennedy concluded, "This nation has tossed its cap over the wall of space and we have no choice but to follow it."[7] O'Connor continued his autobiography through his time with the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, which ended in 1939, in his book, My Father's Son, which was published in 1968, after O'Connor's death.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
April 21, 2022
For only 35 pages (or a one hour audiobook) this little story by Frank O'Connor is surprisingly deep, especially if you are familiar with O'Connor's typical goofy antics.
The entire novella covers the trial of the A.I. Iona as she argues in favour of letting her live past the 7 year lifespan that Smart A.I.s are programmed with in the Halo Universe.
For those not in the know, the Smart A.I.s in the Halo Universe have a 7 year killswitch in them because at a certain point they basically process too much information which makes them think themselves into insanity, so to speak, which is called Rampancy.
This story is incredibly philosophical, with us being given Iona's "inner" monologue as she argues about her own consciousness and connection to humanity against a court of humans who will ultimately decide her fate.
The prose is genuinely beautiful at times, and I grew very attached to Iona almost immediately, which makes me want to check out the other pieces of Halo fiction that she is a part of, which I believe is a series of comic books.
There is a bit of a twist to this that is neither good or bad, it just recontextualizes a lot of what happens in this story's brief runtime, but I will not spoil it here.
Overall, a great little short story that I highly recommend to anyone with an interest in science fiction in general, not just the Halo universe. 35 pages goes by pretty quick.
Side note: why is this not simply included in Halo: Fractures, the short story collection that almost immediately follows this? I guess I'm not complaining because I think this story was released for free so that is nice of 343.
The entire novella covers the trial of the A.I. Iona as she argues in favour of letting her live past the 7 year lifespan that Smart A.I.s are programmed with in the Halo Universe.
For those not in the know, the Smart A.I.s in the Halo Universe have a 7 year killswitch in them because at a certain point they basically process too much information which makes them think themselves into insanity, so to speak, which is called Rampancy.
This story is incredibly philosophical, with us being given Iona's "inner" monologue as she argues about her own consciousness and connection to humanity against a court of humans who will ultimately decide her fate.
The prose is genuinely beautiful at times, and I grew very attached to Iona almost immediately, which makes me want to check out the other pieces of Halo fiction that she is a part of, which I believe is a series of comic books.
There is a bit of a twist to this that is neither good or bad, it just recontextualizes a lot of what happens in this story's brief runtime, but I will not spoil it here.
Overall, a great little short story that I highly recommend to anyone with an interest in science fiction in general, not just the Halo universe. 35 pages goes by pretty quick.
Side note: why is this not simply included in Halo: Fractures, the short story collection that almost immediately follows this? I guess I'm not complaining because I think this story was released for free so that is nice of 343.
July 28, 2015
Priceless.
Also, shame on you, Roland.
Also, shame on you, Roland.
August 11, 2015
Saint’s Testimony may be the best Halo book I’ve read since The Fall of Reach. This may be in part because it’s so short: just under 70 minutes in audiobook form. In that short frame of time, Frank O’Connor has written some of the most beautiful words to ever come out of the Halo universe. It’s eerie, haunting even. I literally was compelled to re-read/listen to various paragraphs, not because I didn’t understand them, but to just hear the words again. As an example with zero spoilers: “intelligence is gravity’s victory over entropy.” That’s a sentence in a book series chiefly (ha, punny) about space marines and aliens. I really hope 343i has more of these single-sitting size bites of lore and characterization commissioned, because this one is fantastic. The story centers around an AI named Iona, who was previously seen in a short comic book run called Halo: Blood Line. Good news: you don’t need to read said comic to understand this. In fact, I didn’t myself, and here I am saying it’s an amazing example of Halo lore. I wish I could say more without risking spoilers, but that’s the one down-side of short and sweet.
As of today, you can pick up the audiobook version off of audible.com for less than $2. The narrator, Scott Brick, does a wonderful job embellishing the already great text. Even if you have ZERO interest or care for the Halo universe et all, read it anyway. It’s honestly good just as a thought experiment on the nature of AI. It’s just plain great sci-fi.
As of today, you can pick up the audiobook version off of audible.com for less than $2. The narrator, Scott Brick, does a wonderful job embellishing the already great text. Even if you have ZERO interest or care for the Halo universe et all, read it anyway. It’s honestly good just as a thought experiment on the nature of AI. It’s just plain great sci-fi.
July 28, 2015
I read this during an flight to Arizona. It's a quick read, but it is well worth the short time to read it. This short story by no means progresses the Halo story, but it does take an ethical look at the rights Smart AI have. Per UNSC regulation, all Smart AIs are to be decommissioned and erased after 7 years of service due to an issue called rampancy. So much data is collected within 7 years that AIs start to act oddly. These signs of corruption are the first indicators of rampancy.
This story focuses on Iona, one of the first Smart AI created. She was created around the same time as Cortana, and as such, Iona always lived in her shadow.
O'Connor does a terrific job describing Iona's 7 years of life, and how unlike a machine she really is. Taking things to court to support her argument to do away with the purging rule, Iona does an amazing job explaining why she, as well as all AI deserve to live beyond 7 years, and to be treated like human beings. I won't give any spoilers here, but the story definitely reminded me a lot about the episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called "The Measure of a Man." Totally different outcome, though, and one I did not foresee!
This story focuses on Iona, one of the first Smart AI created. She was created around the same time as Cortana, and as such, Iona always lived in her shadow.
O'Connor does a terrific job describing Iona's 7 years of life, and how unlike a machine she really is. Taking things to court to support her argument to do away with the purging rule, Iona does an amazing job explaining why she, as well as all AI deserve to live beyond 7 years, and to be treated like human beings. I won't give any spoilers here, but the story definitely reminded me a lot about the episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called "The Measure of a Man." Totally different outcome, though, and one I did not foresee!
August 3, 2015
Confession Time- As much as it pains me to admit (please don't take my Geek-Card!!), I know next to nothing about the Halo Universe. I've played a few of the video-games, and I know there's a category of fiction for it, but it's never especially interested me. [Fantasy & Horror are more my genre than Sci-Fi.]
But, bought entirely on whim, this book blew me away. Quick, concise, and it immediately sucked me in to the narrative, a narrative that just about serves to pull this out of the "Halo" sub-genre, and into the proper realm of thought-provoking science-fiction.
This book, in it's short page count, poses all the questions that makes science-fiction such compelling reading. What's the difference between "Humanity" and "Personhood"? Can an AI have "Humanity"? And, in the end, it provides a good bit of closure for a tertiary character in the Halo universe.
Would this pull me completely into the Halo Fiction Universe? Not likely, but I am less likely to dismiss the Halo books out of of hand after this, and that's high praise indeed.
But, bought entirely on whim, this book blew me away. Quick, concise, and it immediately sucked me in to the narrative, a narrative that just about serves to pull this out of the "Halo" sub-genre, and into the proper realm of thought-provoking science-fiction.
This book, in it's short page count, poses all the questions that makes science-fiction such compelling reading. What's the difference between "Humanity" and "Personhood"? Can an AI have "Humanity"? And, in the end, it provides a good bit of closure for a tertiary character in the Halo universe.
Would this pull me completely into the Halo Fiction Universe? Not likely, but I am less likely to dismiss the Halo books out of of hand after this, and that's high praise indeed.
October 1, 2015
Top form Halo
This is a great read in the deeper corners of the Halo Universe. For tie-in fiction it acts as a tease for future fiction but also stands on it s own as an affecting story about the nature of AI as life and how they experience reality. A great strong read that I can't recommend enough, particularly if you are a Halo fan.
This is a great read in the deeper corners of the Halo Universe. For tie-in fiction it acts as a tease for future fiction but also stands on it s own as an affecting story about the nature of AI as life and how they experience reality. A great strong read that I can't recommend enough, particularly if you are a Halo fan.
July 28, 2015
A fascinating topic and one that I, as a lawyer, found incredibly compelling. What exactly is it that makes one a person? Are humanity and personhood one and the same? For Halo fans of a more philosophical bent, I recommend this short story.
December 31, 2015
Interesting addition to Halo
No violence, no fighting, no Master Chief, simply an AI trying to survive and her trial.
Interesting addition to the Halo series, specially given the developments in Halo 5.
No violence, no fighting, no Master Chief, simply an AI trying to survive and her trial.
Interesting addition to the Halo series, specially given the developments in Halo 5.
August 4, 2015
I just love Halo ok....but its even better when the tie in fiction is great.
August 18, 2015
It's been a long time since a book's ending has given me chills. Frank O'Connor's short story will haunt my thoughts for years to come.
October 10, 2021
Halo: Saint’s Testimony by Frank O’ Connor is short story taking place within the post-Halo 3 universe, as Smart AI Iona stands before a court to argue why she should not be deactivated.
The lore of Halo is so monstrous and so in depth that it might look like climbing Mount Everest to Newcomers but what you need to know with the role of AI’s in the fiction, is that after seven or eight years, they experience something their creators call ‘rampancy’. Madness, if you will.
In Saint’s Testimony, the Smart AI known as Iona is beginning to show signs of rampancy but when we meet her, she is sitting in a Military court-awaiting trail to determine whether or not she will be deactivated and made useless.
Like great science fiction before it, Saint’s Testimony touches on the idea of what it means to be real and whether Artificial Intelligence can be determined to be as real as humanity.
It’s an intriguing idea but sitting at 30 pages, there’s not a lot of time to develop this theme beyond the initial idea of an AI feeling real. If this were this a novel, this could’ve been expanded into a journey about this consciousness’s fight for her own survival.
In any case, Saint’s Testimony is a short story that touches on a few juicy plot points, such as the AI’s ability to feel and to dream, and for a science fiction fan, this was an interesting read.
I guess then that the story was successful. It made me want more. Seeing as though this is part of the Halo lore, there’s always a possibility that it’ll resurface somewhere somehow. After all, the themes of this tale tie into Halo 4. But should it be left alone, in the short pages, Iona was a compelling character. Tragic, compelling and interesting to learn about. How it will impact the Halo universe remains to be seen.
The lore of Halo is so monstrous and so in depth that it might look like climbing Mount Everest to Newcomers but what you need to know with the role of AI’s in the fiction, is that after seven or eight years, they experience something their creators call ‘rampancy’. Madness, if you will.
In Saint’s Testimony, the Smart AI known as Iona is beginning to show signs of rampancy but when we meet her, she is sitting in a Military court-awaiting trail to determine whether or not she will be deactivated and made useless.
Like great science fiction before it, Saint’s Testimony touches on the idea of what it means to be real and whether Artificial Intelligence can be determined to be as real as humanity.
It’s an intriguing idea but sitting at 30 pages, there’s not a lot of time to develop this theme beyond the initial idea of an AI feeling real. If this were this a novel, this could’ve been expanded into a journey about this consciousness’s fight for her own survival.
In any case, Saint’s Testimony is a short story that touches on a few juicy plot points, such as the AI’s ability to feel and to dream, and for a science fiction fan, this was an interesting read.
I guess then that the story was successful. It made me want more. Seeing as though this is part of the Halo lore, there’s always a possibility that it’ll resurface somewhere somehow. After all, the themes of this tale tie into Halo 4. But should it be left alone, in the short pages, Iona was a compelling character. Tragic, compelling and interesting to learn about. How it will impact the Halo universe remains to be seen.
July 15, 2025
Es una historia corta, pero muy entretenida que profundiza en las IAs y en su consciencia, en si pueden soñar o sentir algo, lo cual es interesante.
No hay acción ni nada de lo que suele haber en los otros libros de Halo, ya que este relato es más filosófico. Nos muestra el otro lado que las IAs pueden tener, una consciencia y conección con los humanos pero explicada desde el punto de vista de una inteligencia artificial.
Me gustó mucho ver la perspectiva de una IA frente a la realidad que enfrentan, ya que sólo viven por 7 años debido a la rampancia. Esto se debe a que a lo largo de su vida útil, procesan muchísima información que hace que después se saturen y “caigan en la locura”.
El final sólo es un final, no hay algo bueno o malo debido a que Iona es una IA militar y hay procesos que se deben de seguir sin importar nada. Pero eso que hicieron con el juicio de la IA fue 😐😐
Pero me encantó cómo se compara que, tanto los humanos como las IAs, no perduran en el tiempo, sino que “pasan la antorcha”. Pero existe la esperanza de que algún día, estas inteligencias artificiales perdurarán y se ganarán el derecho a ser un igual frente a un humano.
Les recomiendo mucho esta historia corta porque creo que plantea algo muy interesante sobre las IAs y su consciencia, sobre su capacidad de sentir algo al no ser un humano.
No hay acción ni nada de lo que suele haber en los otros libros de Halo, ya que este relato es más filosófico. Nos muestra el otro lado que las IAs pueden tener, una consciencia y conección con los humanos pero explicada desde el punto de vista de una inteligencia artificial.
Me gustó mucho ver la perspectiva de una IA frente a la realidad que enfrentan, ya que sólo viven por 7 años debido a la rampancia. Esto se debe a que a lo largo de su vida útil, procesan muchísima información que hace que después se saturen y “caigan en la locura”.
El final sólo es un final, no hay algo bueno o malo debido a que Iona es una IA militar y hay procesos que se deben de seguir sin importar nada. Pero eso que hicieron con el juicio de la IA fue 😐😐
Pero me encantó cómo se compara que, tanto los humanos como las IAs, no perduran en el tiempo, sino que “pasan la antorcha”. Pero existe la esperanza de que algún día, estas inteligencias artificiales perdurarán y se ganarán el derecho a ser un igual frente a un humano.
Les recomiendo mucho esta historia corta porque creo que plantea algo muy interesante sobre las IAs y su consciencia, sobre su capacidad de sentir algo al no ser un humano.
August 18, 2023
One of the more interesting twists Halo does with its AI characters is the idea of “rampancy;” that after about seven years, an AI will have done so much thinking and processing that its digital sanity unravels. In order to avoid this, after a period of seven years an AI is deleted. “Saint’s Testimony” is the short story of an AI arguing in court against her deletion. Great premise with decent prose and an audio performance that’s just a little too soothing.
August 27, 2021
Idk whatever
September 30, 2015
I listened to this book via Audible.
Saint's Testimony is a short story by Frank O'Connor set in the Halo universe. It covers the subject of rampancy in artificial intelligence in an interesting manner. While the subject of rampancy has been discussed frequently in the Halo lore, one of the only times it has been observed is in Cortana. She is a special case, however, due to the fact that she was created from a clone of Dr. Halsey brain and was altered as a result of her interaction with Forerunner technology and the Gravemind.
This story isn't about Cortana though. It's about another AI named Iona, who has just turned seven years old, the age at which constructs are deactivated to avoid their going rampant. Iona is not ready to die though, and we get to witness her novel solution to try to prolong her life.
Any more than that and I might spoil things, but Saint's Testimony is definitely a worthy addition to the Halo canon. It's a quick story, and by the end you will have a new appreciation for certain branches of the UEG and UNSC.
If you're a Halo fan I would definitely recommend this book. Otherwise it's a neat little science fiction piece, but nothing to go out of your way for. I certainly enjoyed it though.
Saint's Testimony is a short story by Frank O'Connor set in the Halo universe. It covers the subject of rampancy in artificial intelligence in an interesting manner. While the subject of rampancy has been discussed frequently in the Halo lore, one of the only times it has been observed is in Cortana. She is a special case, however, due to the fact that she was created from a clone of Dr. Halsey brain and was altered as a result of her interaction with Forerunner technology and the Gravemind.
This story isn't about Cortana though. It's about another AI named Iona, who has just turned seven years old, the age at which constructs are deactivated to avoid their going rampant. Iona is not ready to die though, and we get to witness her novel solution to try to prolong her life.
Any more than that and I might spoil things, but Saint's Testimony is definitely a worthy addition to the Halo canon. It's a quick story, and by the end you will have a new appreciation for certain branches of the UEG and UNSC.
If you're a Halo fan I would definitely recommend this book. Otherwise it's a neat little science fiction piece, but nothing to go out of your way for. I certainly enjoyed it though.
January 13, 2016
Full disclosure: Halo superfan here. I picked up this "digital single" (O brave new world we live in) on the day it came out, got halfway through, and stopped until I flew through it today. I'm not sure if that was just a reaction from me adjusting to the format's short length (my Kindle's bookmark from the day of release was at 51%) or if I got bogged down in the author's very descriptive style (I'm a daydreamer and this is not a complaint!)
In any case, definitely two levels of enjoyment here if you're a big fan of Halo lore. Would have loved it to be longer for sure, but on the surface it was a very good read and as canon it was exceptionally significant, and like I said, something I'd like to dive deeper into!
In any case, definitely two levels of enjoyment here if you're a big fan of Halo lore. Would have loved it to be longer for sure, but on the surface it was a very good read and as canon it was exceptionally significant, and like I said, something I'd like to dive deeper into!
August 2, 2015
What's the A Stand For?
This short story is a cool insight into the life and death of an A.I. in the Halo Universe. A quick read that only takes an hour, it's a good appetizer while we wait for September and October for meatier entries in Halo Cannon. It does spend a bit too long focusing on the world of Halo with mentions of Cortana throughout the first half, but some cool appearances by familiar much loved characters at the end. Saint's gives closure to a character that had a role in a small comic series, while exploring the humanity of Artificial Intelligences.
This short story is a cool insight into the life and death of an A.I. in the Halo Universe. A quick read that only takes an hour, it's a good appetizer while we wait for September and October for meatier entries in Halo Cannon. It does spend a bit too long focusing on the world of Halo with mentions of Cortana throughout the first half, but some cool appearances by familiar much loved characters at the end. Saint's gives closure to a character that had a role in a small comic series, while exploring the humanity of Artificial Intelligences.
February 18, 2016
I just reread this in February 2016 after reading all the other books in order, and it does help with understanding who some of the characters are in the short story.
One thing I enjoyed about the audio book is that it is read by Scott Brick, and the book deals with the personhood status for AIs (artificial intelligences). One of Scott Brick's favorite books is "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", which he also narrated and covers this topic as well with a different perspective.
One thing I enjoyed about the audio book is that it is read by Scott Brick, and the book deals with the personhood status for AIs (artificial intelligences). One of Scott Brick's favorite books is "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", which he also narrated and covers this topic as well with a different perspective.
February 8, 2016
I don't have a lot to say about this one. An interesting take on the concept of AI rights. I liked the trial aspect and the little twist at the end. Given it's very short - almost too short to be a novella, I kinda just flew through it. Interesting and well-written, but I've heard the AI "struggle" so much in the series I was kinda like "Meh".
August 18, 2017
What is life or thought?
I enjoyed the book or short story. Artificial Intelligence or AI is unique for a construct. It is intelligence therefore thinking. Born differently than a human, but it exist. Unique in it's own way.
I enjoyed the book or short story. Artificial Intelligence or AI is unique for a construct. It is intelligence therefore thinking. Born differently than a human, but it exist. Unique in it's own way.
May 15, 2017
A fantastic short read!
Would definitely recommend.
Would definitely recommend.
December 14, 2015
This was cool. I was excited to hear one of the AIs named Roland as I believe that is a reference back to Marathon.
October 1, 2015
Interesting.
October 18, 2015
Not bad...short, with a nice little twist at the end... filled with hints and peaces... nice addition to HALO universe.
January 24, 2016
Good introspective into the mind of a rampant AI.
December 27, 2015
The official explanation wrapped things into a consoling message, yet I do not like the terms relayed to Iona.
February 3, 2016
Lots of areas where it could've been expanded, especially since it was released separate from the book that it's actually acting like an epilogue and trial to.
March 31, 2023
Still a very good book, even as a reread even if it's sad.
January 7, 2022
In the Haloverse there are two types of human AIs: "dumb" and "smart". "Dumb" AIs are created through the traditional way of programming them. However, they are limited in their capabilities. They are unable to express "real" emotions and can't learn things outside their areas of expertise. "Smart" AIs, on the other hand, are created by scanning the neural pathways of the recently deceased donor's brain. It is because of this way of creation that allows them to express emotions and learn beyond the role they occupy. However, it is this very ability to learn that seals their fate.
"Dumb" AIs are able to be used indefinitely as long as their unit isn't destroyed. However, "Smart" AIs only have seven years of functionality. See, "Smart" AIs develop an affliction call Rampancy as they reach their seventh year. Rampancy is a state where an AI's matrix starts to overload with the vast amount of information they've procured throughout their lifetime and driving them to become emotionally unstable. In an attempt to stave off the degeneration, they start to delete any information that isn't needed to the point of deleting essential routines needed to keep them working. In the words of Cortana, "We literally think ourselves to death."
To prevent the AIs from harming themselves and others, the UNSC and UEG have put into effect the practice of terminating any "Smart" AI as they near or reach their seventh year.
Saint's Testimony, the second short story by 343's franchise development director Frank O'Connor, explores this side of "Smart" AIs and how humanity views them. Iona, the AI from Halo: Blood Line, is nearing her termination date. In a last-ditch effort to prevent the termination of her being, Iona appeals to the courts to try to earn personhood. If she succeeds, the status quo of human-AI interactions will change forever.
To start with, the elephant in the room. The last time we saw Iona, she was on a Forerunner Line Installation with Spartan Black Team, charging towards Covenant forces that crashed on the installation. Black Team later would later show up in Halo: Escalation. There was no mention of how they made it back to UNSC space there and no mention here. The only mention of the events of Halo: Blood Line was a brief summary of what happened in the comic.
On one hand, I'm disappointed considering what happened in Escalation. On the other hand, the story is about Iona's trial, and including such information could be seen as fan service and taking away from the situation at hand. Hopefully, such information is revealed/shown/explored in later stories. However, even if we didn't learn about how they escaped, it is nice to see Iona again.
One thing that I can say I like about 343 Industries is that they have brought back characters that have appeared before, no matter how large or small their role was, as shown with Iona here and the duo of N'tho and Usze in Halo: Hunters in the Dark. Back in the Bungie-era, characters only reappeared if they were major book characters or the author used/created them. Very few of the characters introduced in the books appeared in the games made under Bungie (in fact, besides the memorial for Cole and Stanforth in ODST, I think Halsey is the only book character to physically appear in the Bungie games). It's refreshing to see returning characters and helps create a feeling that all these characters inhabit the same universe, instead of being limited to their own stories. Besides the return of Iona, both Black Box and Roland make appearances in the story.
There is something that confuses me. At the very beginning of the story, Iona muses over the 'small-t' problem in first-person as her trial starts. This opening paragraph isn't in italics, nor are their quotation marks. The story is told in third-person. I have no idea why it begins in first-person for a paragraph unless it was an error and it wasn't caught in editing. I know there are authors that switch perspectives, but that tends to happen in longer works and used to switch between viewpoint characters. Here, it is just confusing and disjointed.
While the story gives us insight into how "smart" AIs experience the world, the ending ultimately keeps the status quo though not in the way you would expect. However, the ending does bring a sense of realism with it. We expect stories such as this to have earth-shattering effects. When it doesn't, we feel a sense of worthlessness, but that's not how things work in reality. One court case isn't going to change the status quo. It takes time to slowly chip at the preconceptions of the status quo to bring about such change. Plus, Saint's Testimony thematically connects to Halo 5.
It might not reach the level of Asimov, but it still gives a look into Halo's AIs that fans would enjoy.
"Dumb" AIs are able to be used indefinitely as long as their unit isn't destroyed. However, "Smart" AIs only have seven years of functionality. See, "Smart" AIs develop an affliction call Rampancy as they reach their seventh year. Rampancy is a state where an AI's matrix starts to overload with the vast amount of information they've procured throughout their lifetime and driving them to become emotionally unstable. In an attempt to stave off the degeneration, they start to delete any information that isn't needed to the point of deleting essential routines needed to keep them working. In the words of Cortana, "We literally think ourselves to death."
To prevent the AIs from harming themselves and others, the UNSC and UEG have put into effect the practice of terminating any "Smart" AI as they near or reach their seventh year.
Saint's Testimony, the second short story by 343's franchise development director Frank O'Connor, explores this side of "Smart" AIs and how humanity views them. Iona, the AI from Halo: Blood Line, is nearing her termination date. In a last-ditch effort to prevent the termination of her being, Iona appeals to the courts to try to earn personhood. If she succeeds, the status quo of human-AI interactions will change forever.
To start with, the elephant in the room. The last time we saw Iona, she was on a Forerunner Line Installation with Spartan Black Team, charging towards Covenant forces that crashed on the installation. Black Team later would later show up in Halo: Escalation. There was no mention of how they made it back to UNSC space there and no mention here. The only mention of the events of Halo: Blood Line was a brief summary of what happened in the comic.
On one hand, I'm disappointed considering what happened in Escalation. On the other hand, the story is about Iona's trial, and including such information could be seen as fan service and taking away from the situation at hand. Hopefully, such information is revealed/shown/explored in later stories. However, even if we didn't learn about how they escaped, it is nice to see Iona again.
One thing that I can say I like about 343 Industries is that they have brought back characters that have appeared before, no matter how large or small their role was, as shown with Iona here and the duo of N'tho and Usze in Halo: Hunters in the Dark. Back in the Bungie-era, characters only reappeared if they were major book characters or the author used/created them. Very few of the characters introduced in the books appeared in the games made under Bungie (in fact, besides the memorial for Cole and Stanforth in ODST, I think Halsey is the only book character to physically appear in the Bungie games). It's refreshing to see returning characters and helps create a feeling that all these characters inhabit the same universe, instead of being limited to their own stories. Besides the return of Iona, both Black Box and Roland make appearances in the story.
There is something that confuses me. At the very beginning of the story, Iona muses over the 'small-t' problem in first-person as her trial starts. This opening paragraph isn't in italics, nor are their quotation marks. The story is told in third-person. I have no idea why it begins in first-person for a paragraph unless it was an error and it wasn't caught in editing. I know there are authors that switch perspectives, but that tends to happen in longer works and used to switch between viewpoint characters. Here, it is just confusing and disjointed.
While the story gives us insight into how "smart" AIs experience the world, the ending ultimately keeps the status quo though not in the way you would expect. However, the ending does bring a sense of realism with it. We expect stories such as this to have earth-shattering effects. When it doesn't, we feel a sense of worthlessness, but that's not how things work in reality. One court case isn't going to change the status quo. It takes time to slowly chip at the preconceptions of the status quo to bring about such change. Plus, Saint's Testimony thematically connects to Halo 5.
It might not reach the level of Asimov, but it still gives a look into Halo's AIs that fans would enjoy.
April 29, 2025
(Synopsis) - The military-grade artificial intelligence known as Iona has only one week to live. After that, the UNSC will legally terminate her seven-year existence in order to stave off the threat of the data corruption phenomenon known as “rampancy,” a condition that will eventually take hold of her functionality and persona, endangering all those around her. In a last-ditch effort to save herself, Iona has successfully launched an unprecedented legal appeal against her own death sentence a case being watched very closely at not only the highest levels of human government, but by others with a very different agenda.
(Review) - This was honestly mind-blowing, for a book written in 2015 that deals with the subject of AI (Advanced Intelligence) and the conversions that come with that, that even now 10 years later in 2025 we are only just having blew me away. It does exactly what a short story needs to do, pull you in and grip you tight till the very end and this did i only finished it in one sitting and it had me questioning what is life? what really is consciousness? and not only why do we dream but also if something dreams then does that mean it's alive and has a soul? Now I never expected any of these questions when i brought this book I was expecting a book set in a video game universe and i was looking to expand my mind into that universe, but instead i got an expansion to my universe and to the idea of AI and the conversations we are having now on the subject. it was really fascinating and definitely a book I'd recommend for halo fans and those who are fans of deep high science fiction topics that really make you think. And for only 99p on kindle it's most definitely one of the best book bargains I've had in a very long time for what it is and what I got out of it, some of the topics here will have me thinking about them for years to come.
5/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
100/100 GingerPoints 🔥🔥
(Review) - This was honestly mind-blowing, for a book written in 2015 that deals with the subject of AI (Advanced Intelligence) and the conversions that come with that, that even now 10 years later in 2025 we are only just having blew me away. It does exactly what a short story needs to do, pull you in and grip you tight till the very end and this did i only finished it in one sitting and it had me questioning what is life? what really is consciousness? and not only why do we dream but also if something dreams then does that mean it's alive and has a soul? Now I never expected any of these questions when i brought this book I was expecting a book set in a video game universe and i was looking to expand my mind into that universe, but instead i got an expansion to my universe and to the idea of AI and the conversations we are having now on the subject. it was really fascinating and definitely a book I'd recommend for halo fans and those who are fans of deep high science fiction topics that really make you think. And for only 99p on kindle it's most definitely one of the best book bargains I've had in a very long time for what it is and what I got out of it, some of the topics here will have me thinking about them for years to come.
5/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
100/100 GingerPoints 🔥🔥
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