Agent (thing)

Definition of Agents

An agent is usually considered to be an autonomous software program that acts on behalf of its user. But it is impossible to completely define the term "agent", as applied to computer science. The term has been used with a great diversity of meaning, and researchers cannot seem to agree on the definition. What is generally agreed upon, though, is this:

• 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

A common classification of agents

Agents can be classified by the following criteria:

• Mobility: static or mobile
• Reasoning model: deliberative or reactive
• Ideal attributes: autonomy, learning and cooperation
• Role: information, management
• Hybrid: combination of the above