Agent Technology: Enabling Next Generation Computing (A Roadmap for Agent Based Computing)

About AgentLink vi Executive Summary 1 1 Agent-based Computing 9 1.1 What is an agent? 10 1.2 Agents as a design metaphor 10 1.3 Agents as a source of technologies 10This report describes the current state-of-the-art of agent technologies and identifies trends and challenges that will need to be addressed over the next 10 years to progress the field and realise the benefits.It offers a roadmap that is the result of discussions among participants from over 150 organisations including universities, research institutions, large multinational corporations and smaller IT start-up companies.The roadmap is a living document and will continue to be developed over time, identifying successes and challenges, and pointing to future possibilities and demands.Agent technologies are fundamental to the realisation of next generation computing.Addressing the challenges identified here to focus current and future R&D is crucial.