Traditional database systems have been able to manipulate
large amounts of data efficiently, whilst artificial
intelligence (and in particular expert systems) have
reasoned with rules, but rarely with data. It has become
evident that to build truly intelligent information systems,
facilities are required from artificial intelligence and
database and distributed technologies.
This book consists of seventeen selected and revised papers
on the next generation of information systems, based on
papers presented at two workshops, one on integrating
artificial intelligence and databases, and the other on
intelligent and cooperating information systems. The papers
address several core issues, such as intelligence,
distribution, and multi-agent/cooperative systems, and
focuses on designing and building such systems mainly
through the use of intelligent agents. The book presents
up-to-date developments in this interdisciplinary field,
covering information systems, artificial intelligence, and
distributed systems.