[Sphinx]

How would address an AI on a device at the same time as another user?

No problem. An AI should be able to reside in another player's commlink or cyberdeck, as long as its device rating is equal to or greater than the AI's Depth attribute.

[DigitalZombie]

I like your idea of the old AI qualities.
Ok, regeneration might not be that OP for a spirit then.

But im still not sold on the idea that players could acquire a rating 1 host for free, most groups could find a use for that- even without AIs.

Now another point regarding Free spirits. (These are pretty minor though)
You listed the powers  Astral projection,  Mind link and , Magical guard. but the free spirit cant really use those. The first one requires the free spirit to have the inhabitation power (which it cant get) and the second one only works with its summoner ( which wont be often I recon). And regarding the last one the free spirit already has the ability to counter spell thanks to its status as a magician.

The second point is that your Free spirit gains a new power for each point of magic, in street grimoire their powers are based on their edge score, not magic. (This doesnt seem to be a solid rule though as ally spirits base their powers partly on force/magic). I think I would prefer the powers be based on their edge score as well- as the magic score is already a pretty solid attribute ( spells, many powers, ITNW, regeneration etc.), while the edge "only" has the metamagics.

[Hothead]

I might be missing something in the document, but I wanted to check some stuff.

 Does the AI use its own matrix attributes or the device they are on? Are the AIs matrix attributes just for when they're out on the grid? Does using their matrix attributes on the grid cause Overwatch to start ticking like using advanced programs?

 No more optimisation? The +1 Device rating is neat for SOME stuff, but unless I misunderstand how device ratings works thats mostly just program/app/autosoft limit and how much noise it can handle before going offline. Is the +1 DR from living in a device for a bit cummulative? Does it affect lifestyle costs?

 Can AI still ride around in a device that Isnt their home? Like in case they prefer living in a drone, but hops onto their RCC for when they need to do some serious rigging, do they take up a program slot still? Can the AI reboot a device they are on to reset their overwatch score, or do they Have to go into realignment? Because that feels a bit excessive 

EDIT: Plus, do they use their inherent Matrix Condition Monitor only when on the grid, or do they still get that when on a device? Do they take dammage to the Devices or their own MCM first?

 But overall! I still love how you made AI a LOT easier to wrap ones head around, and I am glad you dropped the whole Essence bit. Makes a lot more sense!

[Sphinx]

Responding to Hothead's questions ...

I think an AI should use its own Matrix attributes all the time, as a technomancer would. Like any hacker, they're free to take any number of Firewall- or Data-Processing-based actions on the grid; those are all perfectly legal. The Overwatch clock only starts ticking when they take an Attack- or Sleaze- based action (see Illegal Actions, SR5 p.231), or start using advanced programs (Data Trails, p.157).

I wanted to simplify the Home mechanics, so optimization is a one-time +1 bonus to the main Device Rating or Host Rating, which lasts as long as the AI makes its Home there. This doesn't affect any other attributes, it doesn't change the lifestyle cost for renting space in a host, and it doesn't allow the AI to raise its Depth rating higher than the original device or host rating. (It might give host owners an incentive for renting space to an AI, though.)

Think of a Home device or host as the AI's "body," and treat its interaction with other external devices the same way you would a metahuman hacker or rigger. An AI can focus its attention anywhere in the Matrix like a hacker would. Where the hacker or rigger leaves their body behind in the van or mom's basement; the AI leaves its source code behind in its Home.

I suppose an AI could use another device like a cyberdeck or RCC, same as a technomancer could: They would be restricted to the device's attributes and program slots instead of their own. They would use that devices's Matrix condition monitor, and reboot that device to clear their Overwatch score.

[Sphinx]

Been meaning to post an updated version for a while. Just a few minor adjustments and clarifications.