... the patriots were more than just AI's -- the patriots became a nueral network reduced to its simplest form: A set of Norms.

The AI's Zero created are a manifestation of these norms but they are only one small part of the patriots. The patriots also consisted of - the war economy, the PMC companies, the governments hiring PMC's, the governments using their state armies...

By destroying the AI's and SOP the war economy was called to halt and military action around the world ceased due to the lack of incentive and SOPS. The norms that were the patriots were shattered and the patriots ceased to exist.

Such a good analogy for how cultural systems seem to self perpetuate themselves. I love you Kojima.

 indeed.