I had a memory surface today of something that I'd read a while ago, and I can't remember what is was. What I remember was that there as an AI, female I think, who was born on the internet, or the star system-wide network maybe? She was connected/friends with a person, and at one point in the book, she is being sarcastic and he turns off his connection to her. It forces a big reevaluation of their relationship, and eventually, later in the book maybe, he "gives" her to a younger character to take care of?
Does any of this ring a bell with anyone?