Intelligent systems, intelligent agents

New AI directions: cognitive and applications

Advantages: adaptable, flexible, able to learn, user-friendly, “bluff” intelligence

A typical agent: insurance agent (M. Minsky); many users

Other types of agents: art. life, static-mobile, distributed, for people or computers

Intelligent information society

INTELLIGENT AGENTSExamples

Internet - filtering, browsing, e-commerce, .... :

PC - system agents, OfficeHundreds of agents, more important –

agent approach = more advanced, more powerful, more modern

Definition of intelligent agent

No reasonable definition of intelligence- no theoretical definition of intelligence succeeded (empirically failed)- intelligence might be a stronger (non-computational) concept

No reasonable definition of intelligent agentsHumans capable of easily distinguishing

between (non)intelligent subjects, and between agents and non-agents

What are agents? Diverse and complex types of agents (most

important are common principles)Diverse and complex application domainsInternal structure is not essential (although

usual AI-based)Outside performance is important (like expert

systems)No reasonable definition of intelligent agentsHumans capable of distinguishing between

agents and non-agents, and the power and amount of agentness

Properties of intelligent agents

autonomy - ability to perform tasks and decisions without direct intervention of humans

social ability, ability to interact with humans and agents

responsiveness, the ability to perceive the environment and respond to changes

proactiveness, the ability to take initiative and to exhibit goal-directed behavior

adaptability, the ability of an agent to modify its behavior

mobility, the ability to change physical location

veracity, assumption of no false information

rationality, ability to perform reasonably

Properties - Pattie MaesObserves a user Gets feed-back from a user Gets direct instructions from a userGets experience from environmentAgent and user communicate, control,

executeAgent learns according to interests,

wishes and desires of users

Properties - EtzioniAutonomy when executing tasks; gets task

descriptions from a user, modifies it, performs it on its own

Time continuous – work all the time Personality - speak too much Able to communicateTo adapt to each single user – personalizationMobility

“Simple rules”does it perform typical user-oriented functions

(insurance agent)autonomy

- performs actions on its own (yes)- is prediction of actions possible (no)

adapts to each specific user- different reactions for the same error

works all the time, looks around (mobile)data - information - knowledge

Properties - summaryGeneral, not exact definitions

- “ideal agent” – theoretical, nonexistentreal agents only approximations with some properties- borders soft, not exact

Agent is a (slightly) different programSimilar relations: non/structured programming;

modular/object; information systems/operation systems/expert systems; data/information/knowledge

some people don’t understand the difference

Types of agents - Etzioni

Co-drivers – suggest where to go to Drivers – listen to suggestions by users Secretary-assistant, gets strategic

directions and performs actions on its own

LearnCooperate

Autonomous

Collaborative Learning AgentsSmart Agents

Interface AgentsCollaborative Agents

Typology of agents

Typology of agents

Types of agents

simple reflex agents condition-action, pattern-based

model-based reflex agents+ model of the world (partial)

goal-based agents + goals (desired states, boolean)

utility-based agents + utilitylearning agents + learn

Types of agents

Decision Agents Input Agents Processing Agents Spatial Agents (physical real-world)Believable agents (artif. character)Physical Agents (e.g. robot)Temporal Agents

Types of agent environments

→ More complex Observable - Partially observable Deterministic - Stochastic Episodic - Sequential Static - Dynamic Discrete - Continuous Single-agent Multiple-agent

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MAS

Multi-agent Systems (MAS)A MAS is one that consists of a number

of agents, which interact with one-anotherIn the most general case, agents will be

acting on behalf of users with different goals and motivations

To successfully interact, they will require the ability to interact with each other, much as people do

Can you think of an example?

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MAS

Multi-agent Systems (MAS)Autonomous software agents Local viewDecentralizationSelf-organizedOften use Knowledge Query Manipulation

Language (KQML) or FIPA's Agent Communication Language (ACL)

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MAS STUDIESagent-oriented software engineeringbeliefs, desires, and intentions (BDI)cooperation and coordinationorganisationcommunicationnegotiationdistributed problem solvingmulti-agent learningscientific communitiesdependability and fault-tolerance

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MAS FRAMEWORKS

Jade (Java)Repast (Java)Swarm (Objective-C)NetLogo (Logo)MASON (Java)SemanticAgent (SWRL) on top of JADE

Wikipedia

Bill Gates

.. computer of the future - an intelligent computer assistant, a kind of secretary, capable of communicating and executing simple mundane tasks. The new system will be capable of talking, listening, seeing, and will have other anthropological features like faces capable of expressing gestures.

(agents are the right direction)

Truly intelligent? Intelligent systems!

DEVELOPMENT, TECHNOLOGY

AI

First Slovenian agents

1993 IOI, interface VAX/VMS; B. Hribovšek, M. Gams1996 EMA, an employment agent for Slovenia on

Internet, M. Gams, A. Karalič National Employment Office

1998 Personal WebWatcher, D. Mladenič2000 ShiNa, A. Pivk2000 ActiveTools, USA, A. Bezek2007 MASDA, A. Bezek

CONCLUSION

Intelligent agents are among the most prospective new SW breeds;

Intelligent agents represents a marriage between AI, intelligent systems, and information society