Artificial intelligence $($AI$)$ continues to play a significant role in many leading information systems. In the past, its use has been limited due to its complexity, monolithic designs and lack of knowledgeable system developers. Being an early adopter of artificial intelligence and automation, Amazon always had an edge in using AI to improve its business efficiencies. Not only has it been using AI to enhance its customer experience but has been heavily focused internally. AI contribution is now crucial in non$-$deterministic systems such as workflow, data mining, production scheduling, supply chain logistics$,$ and most recently, e$-$commerce. Its new form is not the monolithic AI systems of the past, but distributed artificial intelligence, popularly known as intelligent agent technology. Intelligent agent technology is the next logical step in overcoming some shortcomings in e$-$commerce.

Intelligent agents represent a new breed of software with significant potential for a wide range of Internet applications. They have been successfully used for personal assistants, intelligent user interfaces, and managing electronic mail. Ecommerce combined with AI$,$ going by their $24/7$ availability, natural language processing, and ability to learn and improve with every conversation, chatbots for ecommerce are perfectly tailored for the online retail industry. Ethics should be a core consideration of any action taken by a business. With chatbots still in a stage of relative infancy, the discovery of new ethical issues is likely to continue.

Recently, agents have been applied to electronic commerce, promising a revolution in the way we conduct business, whether business$-$to$-$business, business$-$to$-$customer or customer$-$to$-$customer. Software agents are the useful tools to help individuals to undertake their activities on E$-$Commerce surroundings. Software agents create different paths for communication. Overall software agents act as a vehicle between E$-$Commerce and business.

Successful computer systems underlying e$-$commerce require judgment and the knowledge of experts such as buyers, contract negotiators and marketing specialists. It is useful to explore the roles of agents as mediators in electronic commerce in the context of a common framework. In addition, electronic commerce covers a broad range of issues, some of which are beyond the scope of this consumer buying behaviour model.

QUESTION $1(20$ Marks$)$

$1\mathrm{.}1$ The case extract explains intelligent agents in E$-$commerce. Briefly explain the advantage intelligent agents provide to buyers and sellers in e$-$commerce. $(10$ marks$)$

$1\mathrm{.}2$ Elaborate on any FOUR $(4)$ examples of problems in e$-$Commerce appropriate for Agents $(4$ marks$)$

$1\mathrm{.}3$ Explain any THREE $(3)$ examples of agents used in general. $(6$ marks$)$