The Howdy Glossary

AgentSpeak is a high-level agent-oriented programming language aimed at modeling intelligent systems, chiefly used in Artificial Intelligence applications and agents. It provides constructs to define agents' beliefs, goals, and capabilities based on principles from philosophy and cognitive science, facilitating more human-like behavior in artificial agents. The language is rooted in the BDI (Belief-Desire-Intention) model of agency, illustrating how actions stem from an agent's beliefs about the world, desires or goals sought after, and intentions on how to pursue these desires. This foundation allows AgentSpeak to excel in creating sophisticated multi-agent systems with complex interactions.

Created by Anand S. Rao in the 1990s at the University of Cambridge, AgentSpeak was specifically designed for programming intelligent agents within multi-agent systems. It sought to leverage insights from philosophy and cognitive science to provide a high-level language adept at modeling agent behaviors effectively. Rao's pioneering work has had a lasting impact on AgentSpeak's development as well as its subsequent variants like AgentSpeak(L), BDI-AgentSpeak, and Jason—each building upon the original design while simplifying certain components or enhancing specific features.

AgentSpeak differentiates itself through its foundational focus on human-like behavioral modeling derived from cognitive principles. While it faces competition from other languages such as Jason (a variant of AgentSpeak), NetLogo (for multi-agent simulations), JACK (with rich feature sets for agent modeling), and Jadex (emphasizing Service-Oriented Architecture), AgentSpeak’s emphasis on the BDI model ensures nuanced decision-making processes within its agents. The ongoing evolution through various adaptations maintains core principles while catering to diverse development needs; thus positioning it as a specialized tool for developers aiming to craft intelligent systems with intricate, realistic behaviors and interactions.