Structure of Intelligent Agents

Intelligent agents are computational systems designed to perform tasks and make decisions
autonomously in order to achieve specific goals. These agents are commonly used in various
fields, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and computer science. The structure of
intelligent agents typically consists of several key components:

1. Perception: This component is responsible for gathering information about the

agent's environment. It involves sensors or other means of data collection, which
provide the agent with data about its surroundings. Perception allows the agent to
sense and understand the world around it.
2. Knowledge Base: The knowledge base stores the agent's knowledge and information
about its environment. It includes data, facts, rules, and models that the agent can use
to reason, make decisions, and plan actions. The knowledge base is essential for
intelligent agents to make informed choices.
3. Reasoning and Inference: Intelligent agents use reasoning and inference
mechanisms to process the information in their knowledge base. They can perform
various types of reasoning, such as deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, and
probabilistic reasoning, to draw conclusions and make decisions based on available
information.
• Deductive Reasoning:
What it is: Deductive reasoning starts with a general statement or premise and
draws a specific conclusion from it.
Example:
Premise: All humans are mortal.
Conclusion: Therefore, if Bob is a human, then Bob is mortal.
In simple terms: Deductive reasoning is like connecting the dots from a known
fact to a specific conclusion.
• Inductive Reasoning:
What it is: Inductive reasoning starts with specific observations or evidence
and makes a general conclusion or prediction based on them.
Example:
Observations: Every time I've seen a swan, it's been white.
Conclusion: Therefore, I might conclude that all swans are white (even
though there could be exceptions).
 In simple terms: Inductive reasoning is like making a general guess based on
what you've seen or experienced.
• Probabilistic Reasoning:
What it is: Probabilistic reasoning deals with uncertainty and assigns
probabilities to different outcomes based on available information.
Example:
Weather forecast: There's a 70% chance of rain tomorrow.
In simple terms: Probabilistic reasoning is like saying, "Based on what we
know, it's more likely that this will happen, but there's still a chance it might
not."
4. Decision-Making: This component is responsible for making choices and selecting
actions that help the agent achieve its goals. Decision-making often involves
evaluating different options and selecting the one that maximizes the agent's utility or
minimizes a certain cost or risk. It can be based on logical reasoning, optimization
algorithms, or machine learning techniques.
5. Action Selection: Once a decision is made, the agent needs to execute a specific
action in the environment to achieve its goal. Action selection involves determining
which action to take based on the agent's decision and the current state of the
environment. It may also include mechanisms for handling uncertainties and adapting
to dynamic situations.
6. Learning and Adaptation: Intelligent agents can learn and improve their
performance over time. Learning mechanisms, such as machine learning algorithms,
reinforcement learning, or evolutionary algorithms, enable agents to acquire new
knowledge and adapt their behaviour based on experience and feedback from the
environment.
7. Communication: In some cases, intelligent agents may need to communicate with
other agents or entities in their environment. Communication can involve sharing
information, coordinating actions, and collaborating to achieve common goals.
Communication mechanisms can be crucial in multi-agent systems.
8. Goal Representation: Intelligent agents have specific goals or objectives they aim to
achieve. The agent's goal representation defines what it is trying to accomplish and
provides a basis for decision-making and action selection.
9. Environment Interface: This component is responsible for interacting with the
external environment. It includes both the agent's actions, which affect the
 environment, and its perception, which allows it to receive information from the
environment. The interface must be well-defined to ensure effective interaction.
10. Feedback and Monitoring: Intelligent agents often require feedback on their actions'
outcomes and the progress towards their goals. Monitoring mechanisms help agents
assess their performance and make adjustments as needed.

The structure of intelligent agents can vary significantly depending on their specific
applications and the technologies used. Some agents may be simple and rule-based, while
others may be complex and employ machine learning or deep learning techniques. The design
and architecture of an intelligent agent depend on the problem it aims to solve and the
available resources and technologies.

The structure can include the following:

• Agent: Think of the agent as a smart computer program or system that can do things
on its own, like a robot or a virtual assistant. It can see, hear, think, and take actions.
• Program: The program is like the brain of the agent. It tells the agent what to do
based on what it "sees" and "hears" from its environment. For example, if the agent is
a vacuum cleaner and if it sees a dirt, the program tells it to stop and clean it.
• Architecture: The architecture is the physical or digital platform on which the agent
and its program run. It's like the computer or robot that the agent lives in. Sometimes,
this platform has special tools or hardware to help the agent do certain tasks, like
recognizing faces or voices.

So, in simple terms, the relationship can be explained as:

agent = architecture + program

➢ The agent is like a smart helper.

➢ The program is its brain, telling it what to do.
➢ The architecture is the environment where the agent and its brain operate.

Together, they make the agent work effectively to perform tasks like making decisions,
moving around, or helping you with information.

Four basic kinds of agent programs

That embody the principles underlying almost all intelligent systems:

• Simple reflex agents;
• Model-based reflex agents;
• Goal-based agents; and
• Utility-based agents.

Simple reflex Agents:

• The simplest kind of agent is the simple reflex agent. These agents select actions on
the basis of the current percept, ignoring the rest of the percept history. For example,
the vacuum agent whose agent function is a simple reflex agent, because its decision
is based only on the current location and on whether that location contains dirt.
• Simple reflex behaviours occur even in more complex environments. Imagine
yourself as the driver of the automated taxi. If the car in front brakes and its brake
lights come on, then you should notice this and initiate braking. In other words, some
processing is done on the visual input to establish the condition we call “The car in
front is braking.” Then, this triggers some established connection in the agent
program to the action “initiate braking.” We call CONDITION–ACTION RULE such
a connection a condition–action rule, written as ‘if car-in-front-is-braking then
initiate-braking’.
Model-based reflex agents:

Imagine you're playing chess as a simple reflex agent. In this scenario, you make moves
based solely on the current position of the chessboard, without considering past moves or
future consequences. Your decisions are purely reactive, and you might end up making
suboptimal moves because you're not thinking ahead.
Now, let's upgrade you to a model-based chess player:
Analogy: You, as a model-based chess player, are like a chess grandmaster who not only
observes the current state of the chessboard but also maintains a mental model of the entire
game. You remember past moves, anticipate your opponent's possible responses, and plan
your moves accordingly. Your mental model allows you to think several moves ahead,
considering potential future positions and strategies. You are not only reacting to the current
board but also proactively shaping the game according to your strategic vision.

In this analogy, the simple reflex agent corresponds to a beginner chess player who makes
moves without any long-term strategy, while the model-based agent represents a more
advanced player who uses their mental model of the game to make informed and strategic
decisions. The mental model in this context serves as an internal representation of the
chessboard and its dynamics, allowing for more thoughtful and forward-looking gameplay,
just as a model-based agent uses an internal model of the world to make better-informed
decisions based on past and future states.

Goal-based agents:
Think of a goal-based agent as a delivery driver with a specific destination in mind.
Imagine you are a delivery driver, and your goal is to deliver packages to various locations
efficiently. You have a clear destination for each package, and your objective is to reach each
destination as quickly as possible. To achieve this, you plan your route, consider traffic
conditions, and prioritize deliveries based on their urgency. Your primary focus is on
reaching your goals (the delivery destinations) in the most effective way, even if it means
making trade-offs or adjusting your plan along the route. You make decisions based on the
alignment of your actions with your defined goals.
In this analogy, the delivery destinations are analogous to the goals in a goal-based agent.
Just as the delivery driver prioritizes and plans their actions to reach destinations, a goal-
based agent prioritizes and plans its actions to achieve specific objectives or goals.
Utility-Based Agents:
Analogy: Think of a utility-based agent as a restaurant-goer making choices on a menu based
on personal preferences and values.
Suppose you are dining at a restaurant with a diverse menu. Instead of having a single fixed
goal like a goal-based agent, you assign a personal "utility" value to each dish based on your
taste, dietary preferences, and cost considerations. When deciding what to order, you evaluate
each dish's utility score, taking into account factors like taste, healthiness, and price. You aim
to maximize your overall satisfaction, so you might choose a dish that balances taste and
healthiness, even if it costs a bit more. In this way, you make decisions that maximize your
expected satisfaction, considering trade-offs and personal values.
In this analogy, the utility values assigned to the dishes correspond to the utility-based agent's
assessment of the desirability of different outcomes. The agent makes decisions that
maximize its overall satisfaction by evaluating the expected utility of various choices, just as
the restaurant-goer evaluates the utility of different menu options to maximize their dining
experience.