In Horizon Zero Dawn, GAIA is the AI that manages the terraforming system.
GAIA is the central artificial intelligence created to restore Earth after the Faro Plague destroyed advanced life. Her subordinate functions handle major parts of the recovery project, including atmospheric repair, climate regulation, biological restoration, and the reintroduction of life. The player gradually discovers GAIA’s role through holographic records and ruins.
The game names several subordinate functions after Greek mythological or classical concepts. HADES is designed to terminate failed terraforming attempts, while HEPHAESTUS manufactures machines and APOLLO stores knowledge. These names can cause confusion because they are all connected to the same project, but they do not identify the overall manager.
Horizon Zero Dawn was released in 2017 for PlayStation 4 and later became available on Windows. GAIA is normally written in uppercase because it is the system’s formal designation.