I'm sure it can be done, my point is more that it's not suggested in game, aside from the confusion by the “assertiveness upgrade”. AIs gaining self awareness is also not common in the Fallout world - the only example I can think of is John Henry Eden.

Also Skynet in FO2.

John Henry Eden wasn't just a robot, he was an AI as is common with the ZAX computer models. Yes Man is purely a robot given a personality, he can't break his programming, he is a Synthetic Intelligence like the robots in the Sink.


Also an AI built from alien technology

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Skynet

Consulting the wikia though is a bit eh to me because they consider Jane, Mr. New Vegas, Victor and Yes Man as AI solely because they have a personality but not through in-game material. Just because something has a personality doesn't mean it can break it's programming. Those four fit automated personalities way more then they do AI because not once have they shown any signs of self-awareness or AI-like behavior.

MARgoT would like to remind New Vegas Players that becoming self-aware may be uncommon, but it happens often enough.

The Esteemed Senator Buttons could be argued to be self aware.

Jane is as self aware as the limits Robert House placed on Her and Marilyn, and any other Starlet that was sampled by the Abomination when He was "Human".

Read up on M.A.R.Go.T. and yea, no she also doesn't seem to have broken her programming as she is still doing exactly what she did before the great war, protect and monitor the metro.

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/M.A.R.Go.T.

You mean the potectron?

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Button_Gwinnett_(robot)

Also doesn't show self-awareness and only thinks he is Button because of a memory leak which is hinted at in a terminal.

How is Jane self-aware? Because she has a personality? Because she understands what's going on around her? I'm sorry but none of your examples actually show signs of self-awareness, that they can break their programming nor that they have independent thoughts that contradict their original purpose. Each one still does EXACTLY what they were made for and doesn't give it another thought. Even M.A.R.Go.T. mentions that she doesn't care if the world is gone or not, she is just doing what she is programmed for.