6 : Project Alicization | 2027 |

: The project attempts to "program" souls by placing them in a simulated society with strict rules. The "success" of the project depends on an individual (like Alice) choosing to violate those rules based on personal morality.

: Discussions on platforms like Reddit's Sword Art Online community often compare the "Bottom-Up" AIs of Alicization to "Top-Down" AIs like Yui, noting that while Yui was programmed to mimic emotion, Underworld residents possess actual human consciousness. 6 : Project Alicization

"Project Alicization" refers to the core storyline of the third major arc in the series, specifically explored in the Sword Art Online: Alicization anime and light novels. The project's goal is to create a Bottom-Up Artificial Intelligence —AIs that can think, feel, and eventually "break their own rules" (deviate from programming), which the project's leader, Kikuoka Seijirou, views as essential for military application. : The project attempts to "program" souls by