Intelligent Software Agents for Electronic Commerce

This chapter is a survey of intelligent software agents in general and more specifically electronic commerce agents (ECAs). We begin with basic definitions and discuss the history and economic reasoning motivating the development of software agents. This is followed by a description of agent characteristics and a taxonomy showing where ECAs fit into the landscape of software agent research. How agents accomplish their goal seeking is described along with the learning and action mechanisms. Specific examples of electronic agents are given along with the economic and ethical impacts they are currently having on the market place and the potential impacts they may have in the future.