The AIs are very advanced and actually considered lifeforms because they're sentient and self sufficient. There's a little bit of a prejudice against them, but it's not nearly as bad as it was like 100 years ago. There are maintenance droids that help maintain things, but the more advanced AIs are no different than people. 

And as far as the people go, only a few thousand would actually know how to use/maintain high tech equipment, and most of them are those with military training.