Intelligent Agents and Goal-Based Systems in Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach (2026 Edition)
In the seminal text Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig define AI not merely as the study of algorithms, but as the design of intelligent agents. As we navigate the technological landscape of 2026, this definition has transitioned from a theoretical framework into a lived reality. We have moved past the era of “Passive AI”—chatbots that wait for a prompt—into the era of Agentic AI: autonomous systems that perceive, reason, and act to achieve complex goals across the digital and physical worlds.
Defining the Agent
At its core, an Intelligent Agent is anything that perceives its Environment through Sensors and acts upon that environment through Actuators. In 2026, the distinction between a mere “tool” and a true “agent” lies in Rationality. While a tool (like a calculator) is reactive and lacks an internal drive, a rational agent acts to maximize its …
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