Artificial Intelligence
From the very beginning Mars was a high-technology society, and is still acknowledged as the leading authority in the Universe on genetic engineering and terraforming. And so it was that it pioneered the development and use of artificial intelligence, culminating in the production and deployment of the Moriarti series AIs at major Martian cities. The 2900 Robot Rebellion was a rude awakening to Martians about the terrible potential of these devices. Since then, Mars has been in the vanguard of efforts to protect humanity from AI, and a prime mover behind the Stickney Treaty and its most recent ('New Mars') revision. Although (with the exception of the Centauri Conglomerate) it is sometimes a lone voice, the MAFC has been instrumental in removing the threat posed by all subsequent AIs, from 'Logos' in 3045 to 'Cerebro' in 3199.
Martian AI Detection Service (MAIDS)
This MAFC organisation investigates illegal AI development. The 'Cerebro' incident in 3199 led to a recognition within the MAFC that the multi-polity Artificial Intelligence Monitoring Service (AIMS), while a laudable body, did not always have the resources to investigate all claims of AI development, and in 3200 the MAFC created the Martian AI Detection Service (MAIDS) to supplement the work of AIMS. Since then, MAIDS has been instrumental in the identification of the Ultron device as the work of an AI, although the warning was alas not heeded in time to prevent the Ultron Crisis in Quadrant 3.
MAIDS was not created from scratch, but rather was formed by carving out the various anti-AI departments of the intelligence services. This did not happen without resistance from certain elements within the establishment. However the decision to form a separate body had already been reached some years before and only the paralysis of the discredited Pickles administration had prevented the action earlier. It is unfortunate that it took the Cerebro incident to restart the initiative. Although based on existing organisations, MAIDS immediately received substantial extra funding from the Interstellar Coordination Committee. The Director General of MAIDS answers directly to the Interstellar Coordination Committee and is overseen by the President of the Committee himself.
It is widely believed, but has never been acknowledged,
that MAIDS not only collects intelligence from published sources outside the
MAFC but also has covert agents throughout human space. It is also rumoured
that MAIDS has its own direct action special forces. The MAFC refuses to comment
on this.