Janus was an artificial intelligence (AI) program designed to monitor and pilot the long-haul colony spacecraft Artemis, launched in SEY 2232. Prominent AI researcher Dr. Carol Zahir began work on the program that would become Janus in 2201. Zahir spent the rest of her career growing her team of researchers and bringing Janus to life. Though she ultimately succeeded in creating the most complex artificial intelligence yet developed, she passed away two years before its completion.
The Janus AI was lost alongside its ship when the Artemis fell out of contact with Earth (Sol III) in 2237 and disappeared. Rumors that Janus purposely caused the disappearance of the Artemis circulated in Human news after the ship vanished, though there was no evidence to support this claim. Many cite this negative speculation as one of the reasons Humans have done little research on artificial intelligence since the early 23rd century.