Do the AIs know I'm not one of them?

Solution 1:

The obvious answer to this is: Yes, the AI knows you are not one of them. From a programming point of view you have to remember that an AI doesn't think, it's only constructed in way that you have the feeling of talking to a "real" player.

So as a matter of fact, the AI players treat you differently since the game is constructed to be appealing to you, not the other AIs. There will be variables to calculate how they interact with each other base on "personality" traits the received, but keep in mind this is only simulated interaction.

When the AI interacts with you, there is something that is really difficult to simulate, which is your human factor. Opposing to the other AIs it doesn't know your personality traits, etc. so from a bare programming point of view it even has to treat you differently.

It's also quite possible that the other "players" don't have a live on their own and that it's in fact just one AI that simulates their interactions and make it look to you like they are individuals.

Summary: It's highly likely the AI is treating you different, but also it's likely that it's supposed to look like that's it's not.