"Fictional Characters as Models for Credible Agents"

12/4/1998: [time not recorded]
[location not recorded]

Abstract: To design an autonomous agent which is indistinguishable from a human is a challenging problem, requiring an ability to evaluate the model (a human) which may not be available. If we imagine an agent which is more than expert, but less than human (i.e., one that is human-like, without being indistinguishable from a human), then we are presented with the task of finding an appropriate model upon which to base the architecture of this "credible" agent. The fictional character, because it is based upon human behavior and is human-like, turns out to be an excellent model. Using tried-and-true techniques for analyzing stories and dramatic structure, we find that fictional characters are constructed out of problems, goals, and solutions, making them fundamentally understandable. As a result, the architecture of the fictional character can be applied to agents, giving them behavior that is human-like.

Last updated: Mon Jun 19 17:44:06 2006