This premise is very similar to the Dune prequel series. Before FTL travel was discovered, AI dominated the galaxy in the sharded manner you describe. An intere

This premise is very similar to the Dune prequel series. Before FTL travel was discovered, AI dominated the galaxy in the sharded manner you describe. An interesting plot point dealt with what happens if one of these shards doesn't merge for a very long time and develops its own personality.