Software agent

Software agents are computer programs used to gather information, process data, and carry out tasks such as automating a process or providing an interface for interaction with a user. A software agent (sometimes referred to as a ‘bot’ or ‘robotic agent’) is basically a computer program with a set of goals and objectives: its purpose is to search for and analyze data, as well as carry out tasks autonomously.

Software agents are designed to interact with a computer or application within its environment, through an either extensive and powerful artificial intelligence-type landscape or through a simple scripting language such as Environment Data Representation Language (EDRL). As a result, the software agent can access and execute instructions given to it in order to achieve its goals. Software agents are used for a variety of tasks, from Internet-sourcing complex resources to monitoring a systems performance and security.

Software agents are used in many fields such as consumer electronics, healthcare, governance, finance, e-commerce, search engines, mobile technology, and robotics. They are helpful in many tasks, such as driving processes, classifying patient data, and streaming data from a hardware extender connected to a printer. They are also useful for monitoring changes in digital systems, implementing algorithms into smart environments, and aiding in search engines and web site analytics.

Software agents facilitate the integration and optimization of complex systems. For example, intelligent agents have been used to optimize shipping and logistics, military and medical simulations, and online search engines. They can also create multiple options for optimizing decisions which may arise in an organization’s business process.

Software agents are an essential part in automated reasoning, autonomous agents, software engineering, artificial intelligence, and robotics. They have been used for various tasks such as providing personalized service, managing customer relationships, controlling access to systems, ensuring and monitoring data consistency, and aiding in decision making. The application of software agents has given rise to new technologies such as intelligent assistants and smart agents.