Intelligent Agents

1
Intelligent Agents

• What are they?
• How do they work?
• Why do we use them?

2
What Are Intelligent Agents

• Intelligent agents are software entities that
  carry out some set of operations on behalf of a
  user or another program with some degree of
  independence or autonomy, and in doing so, employ
  some knowledge or representation of the users
  goals or desires. IBM

3
How do Intelligent Agents Work

• First the agent builds a database based on
• History of selections/choices
• Questions posed to the user
• Then, using that knowledge base and a learning
  system it makes suggestions
• This is just a simplified method

4
Why do we use Intelligent Agents

• Workforce using computers more, with
  semi-adequate training
• Make the computer work for us
• Used to sort through email
• Can sift through web sites looking for ones that
  might appeal to user
• Can flag certain information on websites to show
  user
• Find products that may appeal to user

5
Why do we use Intelligent Agents

• MARKETING
• You may not know it but your computer can work
  against you

6
Spyware

• Spyware is software or hardware installed on a
  computer without the users knowledge which
  gathers information about that user for later
  retrieval
• Why is spyware an intelligent agent
• It gathers information about a user to make
  suggestions, whether its direct or not
• Where does it come from
• Peer to peer programs
• freeware

7
Conclusion

• What is an Intelligent Agent
• How does it work
• Why do we use them
• What is a downside to agents
• www.lavasoft.nu

8
Websites

• www.aois.org/99/dignum.html
• www.spywareinfo.com/articles/spyware
• http//Ksi.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/courses/547-95/bentley
  /547talk.html
• http//bi.snu.ac.kr/Courses/g-ai00/lint-agents.pdf
  

9
Questions?

• How do intelligent agents work?
• What are some positive aspects of intelligent
  agents?
• What are the downsides of intelligent agents?
• What are intelligent agents used for?

10
Done by

• Michael Wessel
• Mitch Ostlund
• Steve Williams