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Autonomous Agents Activity First example of autonomous agents is Google Driverless Car. It is basically a car by Google which drives itself. It can be called a computational agent because it senses the environment that surrounds the car and adjusts the speed and direction of the vehicle according to the computations. The car can be called autonomous because the car can transport passengers or goods without the need for a human driver, since it drives itself. This car is also very safe, and the vehicles can be overridden by a human driver in case of emergency to prevent a possible accident. This requirement now exists due to legal restrictions in some countries, and may disappear in the future. There is only one recorded accident that involved Google Driverless Car, but the harmful results of the accident were negligible (Google, 2010). It is intelligent because it can use not only a predefined route, but can actually decide to use a different one, according to current traffic state information obtained through internet to minimize the probability of traffic jams en route. Second example of autonomous agents is called Oracle Enterprise Manager. It is integrated system management software, which is used for manipulating heterogeneous environment (Oracle Corporation, 2000). This software is mainly oriented on managing Oracle databases, but not limited to them. Hence, it is an example of task-specific software agent, which manages databases in a constantly changing environment. Because specific tasks and jobs are distributed by the server, and then completed locally by managed nodes, these tasks can be completed even when the substantial part of network is down and will be continued from the same point in case of power outage. Oracle Enterprise Manager can be called autonomous because it can function, detect and correct problems all without the presence of any people, for example, system administrator. Little pieces of software called Oracle Intelligent Agents are responsible for managing localized

execution of tasks and on-going monitoring of databases and other services. They also distribute the workload between the databases optimally and can actually adjust the overall state of the system, so that none of the servers experiences overload. Therefore, it can be called intelligent, because it not only uses predefined algorithms, but also some sort of artificial intelligence to do that. The third example, ASIMO (Honda, 2011) belongs to entertainment agents, but it can sometimes serve a function of task-specific software agent. ASIMO is a humanoid robot that resembles an astronaut wearing a backpack. Its engineers say that its main purpose it to help people: With the capability to navigate and operate in our world, ASIMO is able to perform tasks to assist people, especially those lacking full mobility. ASIMO serves as another set of eyes, ears, hands and legs for all kinds of people in need, and provides them with a new sense of independence and mobility in their everyday lives. The robot is autonomous because it can successfully operate without the direct intervention of humans and has definite control over its actions. The only field where its autonomy is limited is its battery capacity, which lasts only for several hours. Also, ASIMO cannot currently charge itself and therefore requires help of other people for this purpose. ASIMO is intelligent because it can, for example, recognize people and greet them by their name. It also recognizes the objects and terrain of its environment and acts in a way that is safe for both nearby humans and for itself.

Conclusion In my opinion, all three autonomous agents mentioned earlier in this paper were created for good purposes and currently serve a positive function for the humanity. Artificial life already plays a huge role in our todays lives and its impact is constantly increasing. The positive effects are undeniable they help us do more in less time, protect us from dangers, assist people with disabilities, etc. On the other hand, as an example, computer viruses are just a different kind of autonomous agents. These viruses can spread and do their harm without any human intervention (after initial creation by a hacker or programmer, of course). Polymorph viruses also have an ability to recompile and modify their code so their presence in the system is no longer detected by antiviruses. Concerning some broader issues, there is a possibility that we will be represented in the internet by some sort of identity certificate in the future. When this certificate is stolen, it can be used to compromise our identity. It may be also very hard to prove someones innocence in this situation. Sure, there are both advantages and disadvantages of using artificial intelligence in our modern lives. Therefore, to maximize the perception of benefits, we need to ensure that the negative effects can easily be prevented.

References Google. (2010, September 10). Google Driverless Car - What were driving at. Retrieved May 28, 2011, from Official Google Blog: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-were-driving-at.html Honda. (2011). ASIMO Technology - Environment Adaptability Improvements. Retrieved May 30, 2011, from Honda Worldwide: http://world.honda.com/ASIMO/technology/environmentadaptability.html Oracle Corporation. (2000). Overview of Oracle Enterprise Manager. Retrieved May 29, 2011, from http://www.mscd.edu/~ittsdba/oradoc817/em.817/a85250/ch1.htm