An Introduction to Multiagent Systems

The study of multiagent systems began in the field of distributed artificial intelligence (DAI) about 20 years
ago. Today these systems are not simply a research topic, but are also beginning to become an important subject of academic teaching and industrial and commercial application. While there are several high-quality collections of articles on multiagent systems and DAI in print, most of these are proceedings of conferences and workshops. What is urgently needed is a book that offers a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction and is suitable as a textbook for the field. The purpose of this volume is to fulfill this need.

Multi-agent system (MAS) is an expanding field in science and engineering. It merges classical fields like game theory with modern ones like machine learning and computer science. This book provides a succinct introduction to the subject, covering the theoretical fundamentals as well as the latter developments in a coherent and clear manner. The book is centred on practical applications rather than introductory topics.