# What is Artificial Life?

Artificial life (AL) is a field of study that examines systems related to life and its processes. Researchers use computers (software), robots (hardware), and biochemical labs (wetware) to build models of biological life, and to experiment with life-like phenomena. AL not only concerns models of life on Earth ("life-as-we-know-it"); it is also interested in modeling life in general ("life-as-it-might-be"), and tries to go beyond the single instance of life that we know from Earth.