Influencing: A strategy for goal adoption in BDI agents

Abstract

In recent years, computing systems based on Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) paradigm have received considerable attention in the area of Agent Technology. This paradigm has been proposed to model human cognitive behaviour in terms of three cognitive states viz, belief, desire, and intention. It is believed that one's goal-adoption behavior largely depends on its cognitive states. Hence, an agent (influencing agent) can influence another agent (target agent) by acting on latter's cognitive state to make it adopt a goal of former's interest. On giving a formal definition to agent cognitive states we present a framework for influencing that achieves goal adoption at target agent. Also the uses of communication tones and social norms in a process of influencing are shown. We explain the use of the proposed framework in a production management scenario.