UbuCiko boHlakahlisombulu igama elichaza yonke imisebenzi yobuciko ekhandwe ngokusebenzisa uhlakahlisombulu.
Kunezindlela eziningi zokukhanda ubuciko bohlakahlisombulu, ezihlanganisa inqubo "esekwe emithethweni" yokuphehla imifanekiso ngokusebenzisa izifanelo zomchazazibalo, imicikizo efefenyeka imishwe ngesihlanguli nezinye izitheleli ezibhecwayo (painted effects), kanye nohlakahlisombulu noma imicikizo yokufunda nzulu efana namaxhoxho aphehla impikiswano neziguquli.
Uhlelo lokuqala olumqoka lobuciko bohlakahlisombulu libizwa AARON, futhi lathithukiswa ngu-Harold Cohen, ekupheleni kweminyaka yowe1960.[1] I-AARON iyisibonelo esiqavile sobuciko bohlakahlisombulu enkathini yokuhlelelisa ngohlakahlisombulu oluyizimpawu (symbolic artificial intelligence) ngenxa yokusebenzisa kwayo indlela esekwe emithethweni yezimpawu ukuze iphehle imifanekiso.[2] U-Cohen wathuthukisa i-AARON ngomgomo wokuthi akwazi ukugema (code) isenzo sokudweba. Esimweni sayo sanguna, i-AARON yayikhanda imidwebo elula yombala omfipha nomhlophe ngokuyibheca. Lokhu kwakulandelwa ngokuthi u-Cohen aqedele imidwebo ngokuyibheca. Kuyo yonke leyominyaka, wasungula nokuthuthukisa indlela yokuthi i-AARON ikwazi ukubheca. U-Cohen waklama i-AARON ukuba ibhece ngokusebenzisa izihlangulo ezikhethekile neziklweli (dyes) ezazikhethwe inhleleliso ngokwayo ngaphandle kokungenelela kwakhe.[3]