---
title: "Intelligent agents in contemporary IS"
subject: "Information System"
chapter: 4
key: "semester_8/information_system:intelligent-agents-contemporary-is"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/information_system/intelligent-agents-contemporary-is
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Intelligent agents in contemporary IS

Information System · Chapter 4: Decision support and Intelligent systems

- Asked in: 2074 Bhadra, 4 marks
- Video: [Intelligent agent](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khzru70KvdI) — Audiopedia
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/information_system/intelligent-agents-contemporary-is
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_8/information_system/chapter-4

## Question

Explain the use of Intelligent Agents for Contemporary Information System.

## Short answer

Intelligent agents are autonomous software that perceive and act to achieve goals. In IS, they are used for e-commerce recommendations, customer chatbots, information retrieval, workflow management, supply chain reordering, security monitoring, data mining alerts, and personal assistants.

## Answer

An **intelligent agent** is a software entity that perceives its environment, acts autonomously on behalf of a user or another program, and uses reasoning or learning to achieve goals.

#### Uses in contemporary information systems
1. **E-commerce** - shopping and comparison agents search prices and recommend products; recommendation engines personalise offers.
2. **Customer support** - chatbots and virtual assistants answer queries 24/7.
3. **Information retrieval and filtering** - search agents, news filters, spam filters sort and fetch relevant information.
4. **Workflow and email management** - schedule meetings, route tasks, set reminders.
5. **Supply chain and ERP** - monitor stock and automatically reorder; negotiation agents handle supplier orders.
6. **Network and security management** - agents monitor traffic, detect intrusion and take action.
7. **Data mining and decision support** - agents collect and analyse data and alert managers to exceptions.
8. **Personal assistants** - Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant.

Benefits: less manual work, faster response, personalisation, 24/7 operation and better decisions.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What is an intelligent agent?
   A. A program run only by manual button presses
   B. A hardware router
   C. A database table
   D. Software that perceives its environment and acts autonomously to achieve goals, using reasoning or learning
   Answer: D. Agents sense, decide and act autonomously. (Key point: Definition)

2. How are agents used in e-commerce?
   A. Shopping and comparison agents search prices and recommend products
   B. They print invoices on paper
   C. They install hardware
   D. They monitor power lines
   Answer: A. Shopping agents and recommenders personalise offers. (Key point: E-commerce)

3. How do agents help in supply chain/ERP?
   A. They hire staff
   B. Monitor stock and automatically reorder; negotiation agents handle supplier orders
   C. They design products
   D. They lay cables
   Answer: B. Agents automate reorder and supplier negotiation. (Key point: Supply chain)

4. What do agents do in network security management?
   A. Increase intrusion
   B. Disable logging
   C. Monitor traffic, detect intrusion and take action
   D. Print reports only
   Answer: C. Security agents monitor and respond. (Key point: Security)

## Related in Information System

- [Intelligent agent requirements](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finformation_system%3Aintelligent-agents-requirements) — Information System, chapter 4
- [Strategic information system and benefits](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finformation_system%3Astrategic-is-benefits) — Information System, chapter 1, asked 2×
- [Geographic Information System](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finformation_system%3Agis-characteristics-uses) — Information System, chapter 1
- [Short note: HR information system](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finformation_system%3Ashort-note-hris) — Information System, chapter 6
- [Information audit and its benefits](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finformation_system%3Ainformation-audit-benefits) — Information System, chapter 2
- [MIS vs DSS information and processing](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finformation_system%3Amis-vs-dss-information-processing) — Information System, chapter 4

## Related in other subjects

- [Role of learning in intelligent agents](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fartificial_intelligence%3Alearning-essential-for-agents) — Artificial Intelligence, chapter 6
- [Intelligent methods for load forecasting](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fpower_plant_design%3Aintelligent-load-forecasting) — Power Plant Design, chapter 2
- [Restaurant information system requirements](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fsoftware_engineering%3Arestaurant-requirements) — Software Engineering, chapter 1
- [Project management information system](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Apmis) — ICT Project Management, chapter 7