Agents ...

1
Agents ...
a message from the Agents Working
Group www.obs.com/isig/agents.html
2
An agent is...

• an entity that acts
• typically on behalf of an owner
• not an object
• but can be built from objects
• already busy with its own agenda
• invoking a method of an agent makes no sense
• a vehicle for capturing intention
• allowing computers take some of the load out of
  life

3
Applications

• Shopping bots, market making
• Process monitoring, control
• Business management, workflow
• the active document that makes sure it is
  fulfilled
• Contact management
• my friend is in the neighborhood,...
• Brokering higher-order services
• A holiday is a package of flights hotel room
  ...

4
Agents and objects

• Depends on the formalism used to define each
• Are Java objects agents?
• Are Java threads agents?
• Objects are typically passive
• the server in the client-server relationship
• method invocation is procedure call
• Agents are typically active
• the client in the client-server relationship
• both message send AND message receive are active
  steps performed by the agent

5
Agents relate to each other...

• by exchanging messages
• the style is closer to inter-process email than
  RMI
• in terms of a communications language
• typically has a logical semantics
• by sharing explicitly referenced common
  ontologies
• ontologies themselves need not be explicit

6
Agents need...

• a secure persistent global identity
• to reason across extended interactions
• to allow people to transact business via agents
• a method for exchanging messages
• message receipt is an action performed by the
  agent
• agents may not always be available
• not the same as IIOP
• closer to event notification
• a method for discovering each other

7
Agents and OMG

• CORBA represents an opportunity
• deploying scalable agent applications
• Many agent system will be built on CORBA
• Current services do not quite meet our needs
• Contributions
• UML for agents
• Ontology
• Security

8
The Agents Working Group

• Parents are Internet SIG and EC DTF
• 9 meetings
• A lot of discussion about what agents are
• A lot of discussion about how to move forward
• Green paper about agent technology
• Strong relationship with FIPA (Foundation for
  Intelligent Physical Agents www.fipa.org)

9
Possible RFP roadmap

• Agent identity
• Reliable aMail (agent equiv of e-mail) service
• Agent discovery service
• Agent Communication Language
• Content language
• Ontology
• Agent trust model
• NO mobility

10
Future directions

• Upgrade to Agent Platform SIG (APSIG)
• Flesh out framework for RFPs
• A White Paper
• Education
• Within the APSIG
• Presentation and outreach to other OMG groups
• Other non-OMG groups
• Forum for agent issues