Key Definitions

Agent

An entity with a specific role that can exchange messages to send and receive information from other agents. An agent acts on behalf of its user and may possess properties such as autonomy, intelligence, learning ability, proactivity, and reactivity. Agents can be anything from software programs to robots, characterized by their ability to perceive, reason, and act. They exchange messages to send and receive information from other agents.

Adaptivity

The capability to learn and improve with experience. This can involve adjusting its internal models, refining its decision-making strategies, or learning new behaviours.

Agency

The capacity of an agent to act or exert power. Agency is attributed by an observer and is demonstrated by what the agent does. It’s attributed by observers based on the agent’s actions and perceived intentionality.

Autonomy

The ability of agents to act independently without external control. This means the agent can make decisions and take actions based on its own internal state and goals. This means the agent can make decisions and take actions based on its own internal state and goals.

Mental State

Agents can be viewed as manifesting intentionality and other aspects of “mental state” such as beliefs, commitments, capabilities and choices. The mental state influences the agent’s actions. These internal representations guide the agent’s decision-making and behaviour.

Mobility

The ability to migrate in a self-directed way from one host platform to another. This is particularly relevant in distributed systems where agents need to move to different locations to access resources or interact with other agents.

Pro-activeness

Agents are able to exhibit goal-directed behaviour by taking the initiative. Proactive agents don’t just react to the environment; they actively pursue their goals.

Reactivity

The capacity to perceive its environment and respond in a timely fashion to changes that occur in it. This responsiveness is crucial for adapting to dynamic and unpredictable situations.