Artificial Intelligence and smart systems

The core objective of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Intelligent Systems is to develop machines capable of simulating human cognitive functions to solve complex real-world problems autonomously. Recent innovations, especially those emerging through 2024–2026, are shifting the field from simple task automation toward collaborative, agentic, and physically embodied systems. The goal of this textbook is to focus on the AI research and development on replicating and enhancing human-like capabilities using different problem solving approaches, Natural Language Processing tools, learning and adaptation. I have showcased A major shift toward "AI Agents" that don't just answer questions but execute end-to-end business workflows independently within defined policy guardrails.