expert system

artificial intelligence A computer program that contains a

knowledge base and a set of algorithms or rules that infer

new facts from knowledge and from incoming data.

An expert system is an artificial intelligence application

that uses a knowledge base of human expertise to aid in

solving problems. The degree of problem solving is based on

the quality of the data and rules obtained from the human

expert. Expert systems are designed to perform at a human

expert level. In practice, they will perform both well below

and well above that of an individual expert.

The expert system derives its answers by running the knowledge

base through an inference engine, a software program that

interacts with the user and processes the results from the

rules and data in the knowledge base.

Expert systems are used in applications such as medical

diagnosis, equipment repair, investment analysis, financial,

estate and insurance planning, route scheduling for delivery

vehicles, contract bidding, counseling for self-service

customers, production control and training.

[Difference from "knowledge-based system"?]

(1996-05-29)