Software-based Agent

A Software-based Agent is a software system that performs automated tasks on behalf of a user.

• AKA: Digital/Virtual Agent.
• Context:
  • It can (typically) perform tasks autonomously on behalf of a user or another program, exhibiting some level of artificial intelligence.
  • It can (often) be embedded in a variety of environments, including web servers, desktop applications, and mobile devices.
  • It can range from simple scripts that automate repetitive tasks to complex systems employing advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms.
  • It can range from being a Chatbot to being an Intelligent Personal Assistant.
  • It can range from being an Intelligent Software Agent to being an Unintelligent Software Agent.
  • It can range from being a Batch-Oriented Software Agent to being an Interactive Software Agent.
  • It can exhibit autonomy, making decisions and performing tasks independently without continuous human guidance.
  • It can run continuously and decide for itself when to perform activities, demonstrating persistence.
  • It can perceive its environment and respond to changes appropriately, showing reactivity.
  • It can take the initiative to achieve its goals, exhibiting proactivity.
  • It can interact with other agents or humans, using methods such as natural language processing and automated reasoning.
  • It can communicate and collaborate with other agents or systems, displaying social ability.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • an Intelligent Personal Assistant like Siri or Google Assistant that showcases advanced AI capabilities to assist users in various tasks.
  • a Chatbot that demonstrates automated customer service interactions, responding to user queries.
  • a Web Crawler that autonomously navigates the internet to index web pages for search engines.
  • an Autonomous Virtual Agent such as a Virtual Doctor Agent in Agent Hospital, which simulates medical tasks.
  • an Intelligent Software Agent used in multi-agent systems for complex problem solving.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • an Automated Teller Machine.
  • a Home Robot.
  • Manual Software Tools, which require direct human input for each action.
  • Non-Autonomous Scripts, which do not exhibit autonomy or adaptability.
  • ...
• See: Agent, Intelligent Agent, Reasoning System, Believable Virtual Agent, Mobile Agent, Robot, Mobile Device, Human-Robot Interaction, Multi-Agent System (MAS), Autonomous Agent, Digital Assistant.

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References

2024

• (Wikipedia, 2024) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/software_agent Retrieved:2024-6-2.
  • In computer science, a software agent is a computer program that acts for a user or another program in a relationship of agency.

    The term agent is derived from the Latin agere (to do): an agreement to act on one's behalf. Such "action on behalf of" implies the authority to decide which, if any, action is appropriate. Some agents are colloquially known as bots, from robot. They may be embodied, as when execution is paired with a robot body, or as software such as a chatbot executing on a computer, such as a mobile device, e.g. Siri. Software agents may be autonomous or work together with other agents or people. Software agents interacting with people (e.g. chatbots, human-robot interaction environments) may possess human-like qualities such as natural language understanding and speech, personality or embody humanoid form (see Asimo).

    Related and derived concepts include intelligent agents (in particular exhibiting some aspects of artificial intelligence, such as reasoning), autonomous agents (capable of modifying the methods of achieving their objectives), distributed agents (being executed on physically distinct computers), multi-agent systems (distributed agents that work together to achieve an objective that could not be accomplished by a single agent acting alone), and mobile agents (agents that can relocate their execution onto different processors).

2024

• Perplexity
  • It performs automated tasks on behalf of a user or another program with a certain degree of autonomy.
  • It can execute predefined tasks or functions based on specific conditions or events, often without direct human intervention.
  • It ranges from simple scripts that automate repetitive tasks to complex systems employing advanced AI and machine learning algorithms.
  • It exhibits autonomy, making decisions and performing tasks independently without continuous human guidance.
  • It can perceive its environment and respond to changes appropriately, demonstrating reactivity.
  • It can communicate and collaborate with other agents or systems, displaying social ability.
  • It enhances efficiency, reduces manual workloads, and improves task accuracy and speed through automation and data-driven decision-making.

2013

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_agent
  • QUOTE: In computer science, a systems agent is a computer program that acts for a user or other program in a relationship of agency, which derives from the Latin agere (to do): an agreement to act on one's behalf. Such "action on behalf of" implies the authority to decide which, if any, action is appropriate.

    Related and derived concepts include intelligent agents (in particular exhibiting some aspect of artificial intelligence, such as learning and reasoning), autonomous agents (capable of modifying the way in which they achieve their objectives), distributed agents (being executed on physically distinct computers), multi-agent systems (distributed agents that do not have the capabilities to achieve an objective alone and thus must communicate), and mobile agents (agents that can relocate their execution onto different processors).

2011

• (Sammut & Webb, 2011) ⇒ Claude Sammut (editor), and Geoffrey I. Webb (editor). (2011). “Agent.” In: (Sammut & Webb, 2011) p.36
  • QUOTE: In computer science, the term “agent” usually denotes a software abstraction of a real entity which is capable of acting with a certain degree of autonomy. For example, in artificial societies, agents are software abstractions of real people, interacting in an artifical, simulated environment. Various authors have proposed different definitions of agents. Most of them would agree on the following set of agent properties:
    • Persistence: Code is not executed on demand but runs continuously and decides autonomously when it should perform some activity.
    • Social ability: Agents are able to interact with other agents.
    • Reactivity: Agents perceive the environment and are able to react.
    • Proactivity: Agents exhibit goal-directed behavior and can take the initiative.

1996

• (Franklin & Graesser, 1996) ⇒ Stan Franklin, and Art Graesser. (1996). “Is It An Agent, Or Just a Program?: A Taxonomy for Autonomous Agents.” In: Proceedings of the Workshop on Intelligent Agents III, Agent Theories, Architectures, and Languages.

1996

• H. S. Nwana. (1996). “Software Agents: An Overview.” In: Knowledge Engineering Review, 11(3).

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