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KM Agents

Intelligent agents are software programs that act on behalf of users to perform tasks. They can work individually or collaborate with other agents. Agents learn over time and adapt to their environment. They are used to simplify distributed computing, manage resources, assist users, and filter information. Agents can be static or mobile. Nwana's classification categorizes agents based on their mobility, reasoning model, attributes, role, and whether they are hybrid agents. Interface and information agents are common types that assist users and manage distributed information sources. Mobile agents can migrate between systems to access remote resources.

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Giannis Pagges
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53 views16 pages

KM Agents

Intelligent agents are software programs that act on behalf of users to perform tasks. They can work individually or collaborate with other agents. Agents learn over time and adapt to their environment. They are used to simplify distributed computing, manage resources, assist users, and filter information. Agents can be static or mobile. Nwana's classification categorizes agents based on their mobility, reasoning model, attributes, role, and whether they are hybrid agents. Interface and information agents are common types that assist users and manage distributed information sources. Mobile agents can migrate between systems to access remote resources.

Uploaded by

Giannis Pagges
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Intelligent Agents

Software analog to human agents


real estate agent, librarian, salesperson
Perform tasks individually, or in
collaboration
Static and mobile
Communicate via messages or not
Learn preferences over time

1
Working definitions
An agent is a reusable software component that provides
controlled access to (shared) services and resources. Example:
a printer agent that provides printing services schedules
requests to a shared printer.

Agents are the basic building blocks for applications, and


applications are organized as networks of collaborating
agents. Example: a desktop agent "recruits" the services of a
screen and a connection agent to physically connect a call.

The behavior of each agent is constrained by policies which


are set by higher-level agents (security, load balancing, user
prefs etc.). Example: 60% of the calls over a trunk are made by
one user agent.

2
Differences from conventional
programs
Agents are autonomous, that is they act on behalf of the user
Agents contain some level of intelligence, from fixed rules to
learning engines that allow them to adapt to changes in the
environment
Agents don't only act reactively, but sometimes also
proactively
Agents have social ability, that is they communicate with the
user, the system, and other agents as required
Agents may also cooperate with other agents to carry out
more complex tasks than they themselves can handle
Agents may move from one system to another to access
remote resources or even to meet other agents

3
Usage
Simplifying distributed computing
Agents as intelligent resource managers
Overcoming user interface problems
Agents as personal assistants which adapt
to the user
This is another important motivation for agent
research: convergence in AI research.
 

4
Nwana's classification
1. Mobility: static or mobile
2. Reasoning model: deliberative or reactive
3. Ideal attributes: autonomy, learning and
cooperation
4. Role: information, management
5. Hybrid: combination of the above
Source: H. Nwana, Software Agents: An Overview

5
Nwana's classification

6
Architecture

7
Collaborative agents
Modular (eg, interface, task and information agents)
Agents negotiate in order to resolve conflicts (eg,
meeting time)
Some agents collaborate to integrate information
Agents wrap around legacy systems ("glue" to
interconnect them)
Provide solutions to inherently distributed problems
airtraffic control
telecommunications network management

8
RETSINA Collaboration model

9
Interface Agents
Support and provide assistance.
Cooperates with the user in accomplishing
some task in an application.
Interface agents learn:
by observing and imitating the user (from user)
through receiving feedback from the user
by receiving explicit instructions
by asking other agents for advice (from peers)
Filters (eg, your email)
Eager assistant (eg Open Sesame)
Social filtering (referrals)
10
Information Filtering

Individual Recommendation Agents

Fine grained (users treated as individuals)


Driven by attributes of users and products,
therefore can recommend new products
WebWatcher

11
Collaborative Filtering
CF: Items I interacted with are compared to
Items other people interacted with
Assumes you are like others (requires others)
Requires interaction history prior to
recommendation
Amazon.com, Group Lens

12
Interface Agents

13
Information Agents
Manage the explosive growth of information.
Manipulate or collate information from many
distributed sources.
Examples: intelligent wrappers.
Challenge: ontologies for annotating Web
pages (eg, SHOE).
Information agents can be mobile or static.

14
Information Agents

15
Mobile agents
Programs that can migrate from one machine to
another.
Execute in a platform-independent execution
environment (requirement of places).
Practical but non-functional advantages:
Reduced communication cost (eg, from PDA)
Asynchronous computing (when you are not connected)
Two types:
One-hop mobile agents (migrate to one other place)
Multi-hop mobile agents (roam the network from place to
place)
Applications:
Distributed information retrieval.
Telecommunication network routing.
16

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