T-AI

T-AI is a fictional character in the various Transformers universes. She is Teletraan I's "daughter" in most universes.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise
T-AI, her name being an abbreviated form of "Tactical Artificial Intelligence", is the sentient computer program which runs the day-to-day operations of the Autobots' base, manning and directing the Global Spacebridge and activating Battle Protocols, selecting suitable members for the mission at hand.

She is reportedly the "daughter" of the Teletraan I computer system of the RiD universe. What exactly this means is unknown. She keeps tabs on events across Earth, coordinates Autobot forces across the globe, maintains the elaborate Space Bridge network, and generally keeps things running smoothly at the base (or as smoothly as possible considering the variety of odd personalities that make up the Autobot ranks).

To interact with other beings, T-AI manifests herself as a holographic avatar resembling a young human girl in a maroon uniform, similar to that of a Japanese policewoman, which seems have caught the eye of Koji (who, in the Japanese version, is the only character to affectionately refer to her as "Ai-Chan"). She is an incredibly advanced computer that displays distinct emotions, self-awareness, a sense of humor, and -perhaps most notably- the ability to lose her patience. She is quick to verbally berate any Autobot found shirking their duties - usually Side Burn.

Animated series
T-AI's first major action on Earth was to initiate Battle Protocol and send the Autobot Brothers to New York City. A short time later, Optimus Prime brought Koji Onishi to visit the base—Koji's father had been kidnapped by Megatron. On being introduced to T-AI, Koji attempted to shake hands with her and fell through the holographic projection. The boy stuck around with T-AI to monitor the currently-developing situation—the Predacons were trying to steal an explosive device from a car. T-AI would continue to monitor odd goings-on, such as a series of suspicious train wrecks which turned out to have been caused by the Predacons. The only Autobot she tended to have problems with was Side Burn, a notorious slacker who would often be out chasing red sports cars rather than go to the assignments given to him. On one occasion Side Burn turned out to be actually doing something useful—exploring some ruins with Koji. As a result of this adventure, a computer microchip owned by Doctor Onishi was discovered, and T-AI set about extracting information from it.

Puzzled by the Predacons' interest in statues, T-AI dispatched the Autobot Brothers to the Cave of the Dragon, which Koji had a hunch was involved. There Side Burn encountered a giant moving statue, which T-AI was able to reveal was a special effect created by a film crew working there. As it turned out the cave had another secret, the first of seven Cybertronian artifacts called O-Parts. Shortly after the discovery, T-AI called all of the Autobots back to base to review footage of their past missions and attempt to work out where the Predacon base was hidden. T-AI was able to unlock more information from Dr Onishi's microchip, pointing the Autobots to Castle Peak, where they discovered the wreck of an Autobot spacecraft. After Megatron stole the six protoforms from inside it, T-AI was able to track him to McKinley Army Base and alert Optimus, though ultimately Megatron was able to reformat the protoforms into Decepticons. After the destruction of a dam by the Decepticons, T-AI sent the Autobot Brothers to patrol Sherman Dam and soon lost contact with them. Once Optimus arrived at the dam, T-AI alerted him to the fact that the Decepticons had mined it with pulsar bombs. Fortunately disaster was averted once again with the help of Team Bullet Train.

When the Predacons attacked the new CGA Tower and took the people inside hostage, Sky-Byte demanded something from Optimus. Something he wasn't terribly clear on. T-AI suggested Sky-Byte might mean the O-Parts, which probably wasn't the most clever thing considering he didn't seem to know about them. T-AI intercepted a transmission indicating that Sky-Byte was searching for O-Parts. She and Optimus suspected it was a trap, so they sent the Autobot Brothers in. With Optimus under attack from Decepticons on an island, T-AI monitored the situation with Koji, and was amazed when Optimus merged with the newly arrived Autobot Ultra Magnus into Omega Prime. She reported reading a massive amount of energy. T-AI was able to extract more information from Doctor Onishi's microchip, pointing to a dig which the doctor was working on before he was kidnapped. The Build Team were dispatched, and when the Decepticons were sighted in the area, T-AI sent the Spy Changers, Autobot Brothers and Team Bullet Train for protection. She reassured Koji that his father must still be alive as the Predacons were still extracting information from him. She was proved right a few hours later when Sky-Byte inadvertently set Doctor Onishi free.

With the release of Doctor Onishi, T-AI worked with him to create a detector to locate the rest of the O-Parts. The Autobot Brothers and Build Team managed to locate and retrieve the five remaining O-Parts and, back at base, T-AI wondered whether finding them was a blessing or a curse. T-AI was able to detect a data stream coming from the activated O-Parts and, despite Optimus' concerns, merged with them to get more information. Although she was able to find out the location of the Orb of Sigma, she became trapped in the globe created by the O-Parts. Optimus and the brothers took the O-Parts globe to the Sahara Desert where, in a pyramid beneath the desert sands, they found the Orb of Sigma. The O-Parts globe merged with it, cutting off their communication with T-AI completely. The Autobots managed to keep the Orb away from the Decepticons and return it to Autobot base, where T-AI was successfully extracted. She reported that she had gained from the Orb the knowledge of where to find Cerebros, the key to Fortress Maximus. Finally the Decepticons located the Autobot base and began to attack. T-AI alerted all of the Autobots to go to designated co-ordinates so that Optimus could lead the Decepticons into a trap. She monitored the battle from base, contacting Omega Prime when Galvatron used his cyber-bats to seize control of the Earth's children. She activated the Global Space Bridge so the Autobots could retreat, but was too late to warn them when Galvatron ruptured the tunnel wall to flood it with molten rock. At Omega Prime's command, she opened space bridge portals to the Earth's core and sealed them after he had led Galvatron through for a last confrontation. Fortunately Koji was able to mobilise Earth's children via the Internet and send a massive amount of power to Prime, enabling him to win the fight, though T-AI told him that Prime was still trapped. Fortunately the energy from Galvatron's defeat had reopened the Global Space Bridge, allowing Omega Prime to escape the Earth's core.

Dreamwave Productions
The character also put in a brief appearance in one comic book story in the Dreamwave Summer Special, but no more stories were published. The RiD lost a contest Dreamwave between itself and Beast Wars to gain a mini-series. Before either storyline could get the series Dreamwave went out of business.

Transformers: Generation 1
Ai Kuruma has had a strong sense of justice since she was a child, and now has aspirations of being a highly decorated policewoman. She's fairly sharp, knows her laws, and is a very good driver (if a little wild), able to keep pursuit of getaway cars even in a normal police cruiser. However, her natural over-eager (albeit good-natured and helpful) nature seems to get in the way of her duties from time to time. She's a decent athlete and dedicated to helping others.

Binaltech
Ai and Red Alert were in pursuit of a speeding criminal. Ai's forceful driving brought a few complaints from Red, but she managed to corner the car. As she stepped out to apprehend the suspect, a shot rang out, and Red Alert quickly transformed, blocking the shot...

After shooing the kitty Chear off Red Alert's hood, Ai received a call about a little boy who'd gotten lost on his way to the market. Ai (dreaming of a commendation for finding the boy) followed the sound of crying, only to find it was Chear again, up in a tree. She climbed up the tree to rescue it, but fell from the high branches... but Red Alert caught her and the cat in time.

Toys

 * Binaltech Asterisk Alert (2005)
 * The original Red Alert (called Alert in Japan) character returns for Binaltech Asterisk as a recolor of Silverstreak. His Binaltech appearance is actually one of the first Binaltech Asterisk toys - these being produced with a female driver. Alert comes with Ai - recognisable from her appearance in the Japanese TV series Car Robots (Robots in Disguise in America). As with several other Binaltech (and Asterisk) figures, there is no Alternators version of Red Alert.

Fun Publications
Side Burn impersonated a member of the Autobot Elite Guard (Dion) in order to impress Road Rage and a waitress, who resembled T-AI. Prowl found out and told them he was imposter. Prowl later took him to meet the new Autobot Leader Optimus Prime.

Transformers Animated
A homage to Robots in Disguise T-AI.

IDW Publishing
T-AI made a cameo in the Transformers Animated book, The All-Spark Almanac II, published by IDW Publishing.