Geth

The Geth are a bipedal, humanoid race of networked Artificial Intelligence that reside in the Terminus Systems. The Geth were created nearly 300 years ago by the Quarians as laborers and tools of war. When the Geth began to question their masters, the Quarians attempted to exterminate them. The Geth won the resulting war and reduced the Quarians to a race of nomads. The example of the Geth has led to a legally enforced, systematic repression of artificial intelligences in galactic society.

The Geth can learn and grow intellectually, but they progress far more slowly than an organic being. Still, the story of the Geth's creation and evolution serves as a warning to the rest of the galaxy of the potential dangers of Artificial Intelligence.

The closer Geth physically are to each other, the more intelligent each one becomes. Effectively, they "share" brainpower. An individual Geth has only a basic intelligence on par with animal instincts, but in groups they can reason, analyze situations, and use tactics as well as any of the organic races.

Over time, the Geth have evolved into numerous sub-forms - from the diminutive but highly agile "Hoppers", to the gigantic, lumbering Geth "Armatures". It should be stressed, however, that in all forms the Geth are to be approached with extreme caution as they are universally violent.

Using Prothean technology, the rogue Spectre agent, Saren, has taken control of an army of Geth in an effort to take over Citadel space and exact revenge on humanity.

The Geth were formerly thought to be the Genocidal machine race that existed beyond the portal, but since then have been distinguished as a different (and, probably, less dangerous) race of rouge machines.