Intelligent Agents / Pattern Matching

re:

nicknack, how much have you looked into AI?

IMO theres no such thing as AI (apart from that @#%$ speilberg film!). i did a dissertation on the subject, and you cannot build trully autonomous systems. computers are built on rules - so in effect, they are being 'told' what to do.

example:
machine learning - feed it loads of data and make it not make the same mistakes again.

genetic algorithms - dangle an ideal variable in front of an algorithm and make it guess - each time scoring it - ie hot/cold

neural networks - similar principle to machine learning but spread across threads with weightings applied at decision points

..maybe a bit simply put - but the gist IS simple. computers are built on rules - and hence are constrained and are not free-thinking entities. AI is a fallacy (at present)

-an interesting side-point however is IBM's "Autonomic Computing" research effort. They are trying to model the human biological regulatory system - such as temperature regulation.

Genetic Algorithms

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>: i can help with genetic algorithms
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Reynolds, I thought I had the monopoly on those on this board! But I can help out as well if you wish and with AI'ish problems in general.

For general info on things like agent based software have a look at citeseer citeseer.nj.nec.com/cs

i can help with genetic algorithms

have you looked at autonomy ? www.autonomy.com

Anyone got any info on intelligent agent software or pattern matching stuff (NO QUIPS ABOUT ALL AGENTS ARE STUPID PLEASE)
Looking at some risk management software that uses it but could do with some background info