# Comme Il Faut

> social AI system providing a playable model of social interaction where the author provides reusable and recombinable representations of social norms and social interactions

**Wikidata**: [Q125523910](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q125523910)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/comme-il-faut-q125523910

## Summary
Comme Il Faut (often abbreviated as CiF) is a social artificial intelligence system designed to provide a playable model of social interaction. It enables authors to create reusable and recombinable representations of social norms and interactions within a software environment. Developed by a team of researchers including Michael Mateas, the system classifies as a software instance that models complex social dynamics.

## Key Facts
*   **Inception:** The system was created in **2010**.
*   **Aliases:** Also known as **CiF**.
*   **Classification:** It is an instance of **software**.
*   **Core Function:** Operates as a social AI system providing a playable model of social interaction.
*   **Key Feature:** Allows authors to provide reusable and recombinable representations of social norms.
*   **Developers:** Joshua McCoy, Mike Treanor, Ben Samuel, Noah Wardrip-Fruin, and Michael Mateas.
*   **Identifier:** ELMCIP ID **11236**.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the primary function of Comme Il Faut?
A: Comme Il Faut is a social AI system that provides a playable model of social interaction. It allows authors to define social norms and interactions that can be reused and recombined in different ways.

### Q: Who are the creators of Comme Il Faut?
A: The system was developed by a collaborative team consisting of Joshua McCoy, Mike Treanor, Ben Samuel, Noah Wardrip-Fruin, and Michael Mateas.

### Q: When was Comme Il Faut developed?
A: The inception of the software dates to 2010.

## Why It Matters
Comme Il Faut represents a significant technical advancement in the modeling of social physics within artificial intelligence and interactive storytelling. Unlike traditional AI systems that focus on navigation or combat, CiF focuses specifically on the nuance of social interaction. By treating social norms and interactions as "reusable and recombinable representations," the system allows for a deep, authorable simulation of social dynamics.

This approach solves the problem of rigid social scripting in games and simulations. Instead of writing static dialogue trees, authors can define underlying social rules that generate emergent behaviors. This makes it a critical tool in the field of expressive AI and playable media, allowing for software that can simulate complex human social behaviors rather than just physical ones. Its development by prominent figures in computer science and game studies highlights its importance as a foundational architecture for social simulation.

## Notable For
*   **Social Physics Modeling:** Distinguished as a "social AI system" that treats social interaction as a playable, systemic model.
*   **Authorable Content:** Notable for allowing authors to create "reusable and recombinable representations" of social norms, rather than hard-coded scripts.
*   **Academic Pedigree:** Developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, including American AI researcher Michael Mateas.
*   **Terminology:** Unique for naming a software system with a French phrase (*Comme Il Faut*), signifying "proper" or "as it should be," often abbreviated as CiF.

## Body

### Development and Origin
Comme Il Faut (CiF) was developed in **2010** by a team of five researchers and developers: Joshua McCoy, Mike Treanor, Ben Samuel, Noah Wardrip-Fruin, and Michael Mateas.

Michael Mateas, one of the primary developers, is noted as an American artificial intelligence researcher, computer scientist, and university teacher. The project is indexed in the Electronic Literature as a Model of Creativity and Innovation in Practice (ELMCIP) database under the ID 11236.

### Technical Architecture
As an instance of **software**, CiF functions as a non-tangible executable component. Its architecture is defined by its capacity as a "social AI system."

The core technical innovation described is the system's ability to manage:
*   **Social Norms:** The system provides a framework for defining what constitutes acceptable or expected behavior within the simulation.
*   **Social Interactions:** It models the dynamic exchanges between entities.
*   **Recombinable Representations:** The system allows these norms and interactions to be modular. Authors can provide representations that the system can mix and match (recombine) to create novel social scenarios.

### System Capabilities
The primary capability of Comme Il Faut is providing a **playable model**. This moves the system beyond simple narrative text, allowing users or players to interact with the social model directly. The AI interprets the provided social norms and generates outcomes based on the recombination of these defined representations.

## References

1. [Source](https://alumni.soe.ucsc.edu/~mccoyjo/)