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For much of Portal, GLaDOS is a voice that acts as a narrator and guide for players. Her voice is robotic, but distinctly female. Over time, players learn that she is in fact leading the player-character Chell to her death. Her personality has been described as passive-aggressive, witty, narcissistic, and sinister. She has a number of system personality cores installed into her, partly in order to prevent her from killing anyone (other than the ones she already did before the failsafes were installed). Eventually, once the player encounters her, she is revealed to be a complex computer, with robotic parts hanging from a larger device. Once the player removes the first personality core, the morality core, GLaDOS' voice becomes less robotic and more sensual. Originally, GLaDOS was designed as an artificial intelligence and research assistant meant to aid Aperture Science in their goal of beating Black Mesa to the creation of portal technology. Later proposed uses for GLaDOS included implementation as a fuel line ice inhibitor and disk operating system. The AI of GLaDOS is installed as the Enrichment Center's central control computer, mounted in a large, sealed chamber alongside control consoles and an incinerator, which is eventually used to destroy her.
In Portal 2, a character named Wheatley is introduced. It is eventually revealed that he was a personality core that was once attached to her, and was designed to give her bad ideas to inhibit her personality. It is also learned that while she is attached to the Aperture Science facility, she is driven to test, and given a euphoric sensation when a test is complete. However, once she is removed from her position, she begins to act more civil with Chell. It further emerges that GLaDOS has inherited the personality of a woman named Caroline who worked as a personal assistant to Aperture Science's CEO Cave Johnson. She is much warmer when under the influence of Caroline's personality.

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