AI Dictionary
Agent
Definition
An autonomous system that perceives its environment and takes actions to achieve a goal.
Deep Dive
In artificial intelligence, an agent is an autonomous system that perceives its environment through sensors and acts upon that environment through effectors to achieve a specific goal or set of goals. Agents are typically designed to exhibit rational behavior, meaning they strive to make the best possible decisions to maximize their performance measure given the information they have. This definition is broad, encompassing everything from simple reactive programs to complex, intelligent robots.
Examples & Use Cases
- 1A self-driving car using sensors (cameras, radar, lidar) to perceive its surroundings and effectors (steering, acceleration, braking) to navigate roads to a destination
- 2A chatbot or virtual assistant processing user queries (perception) and generating relevant responses or performing tasks (action) to fulfill user requests
- 3A robotic vacuum cleaner mapping a room (perception), planning an efficient cleaning path, and moving around to clean (action)
Related Terms
Reinforcement LearningAutonomous SystemAI System