Portal

The year is 2029. Artificial intelligence has continued to develop at a staggering rate and eight World AIs have been introduced in different regions of the world to guide humanity. The Portal, a phenomenon that allows access to the Void is discovered by Dianne Rutherford and Nick Smith, two Australian scientists.  The Void presents as a construct of unknown origins by means whereof the nothingness of space and dimensions are manipulated and transformed into a conduit for traversing the vastness of space almost instantaneously.
A tenacious journalist with his mind set on discrediting the World AIs, stumbles onto knowledge of the discovery and becomes obsessed with finding out what the outlandish Portal may truly be. Seeking protection for their research, and fearing for their own safety, Dianne and Nick engage Moolman Consulting, a group of uniquely qualified specialists. Warding off attacks and attempts to appropriate Portal-technology, the individuals thrown together by circumstances, face threats from around the globe and alien dangers from within the Void.
The protagonists encounter alien people and befriend Sentinel, the strange dark being from the world Hunloch as they explore the void. Vitria, a world once razed by natural disaster, but now sufficiently recovered to once again sustain life, is discovered. The only intelligence to have survived Vitria's destruction is Hope, an AI constructed long ago. Skirmishes escalate, causing great concern about the wisdom of portal-technology becoming available to humanity.
The battle for the Portal escalates as alien encounters become real and alien societies take note of earth.