AgentLand FAQ
1 – What is AgentLand? Why Cybion launched Agentland?
Agentland is the first international portal for intelligent agents and bots. AgentLand is also a one
stop shop for intelligent software agents. The web site provides a mine of helpful information
about the world of agents, plus a selection of exciting agents from both established software
companies and independent developers.
The exponential growth in Internet initiatives and content is both a boon and a bane to web
surfers. It is becoming ever more difficult to identify relevant information sources, to keep up with
the constant renewal of information and to manage the data overload.
Since 1996, CYBION has been the specialist in competitive intelligence and information gathering
on the Internet. A major tool used in these operations are the different “species” of intelligent
software agents. Thus, CYBION was in a position to identify the coming of age of a new
generation of agents, more efficient and user-friendly. CYBION decided to put these tools at the
disposal of the general Internet public, through a dedicated, practical and user-friendly website:
AgentLand.com
AgentLand.com’s ambition is to create a virtual community around these agents, where people
can share experiences, download software and exchange contacts.
2- What’s an intelligent agent?
Easily personalized, software agents autonomously complete one or many assigned tasks on the
Internet: searching multiple engines simultaneously, monitoring large numbers of information
sources, finding the best deals, sharing files, downloading web sites. Agents can be real personal
assistants...
A working definition might be: “intelligent software agents are innovative and useful software,
easily customizable by a web surfer, which perform autonomous and continuous research and
data gathering tasks on the Internet, analyze the results, then, mission accomplished, deliver
personalized, relevant, exploitable information”.
3 - Intelligent software agents have been around since 1995, why create a site now?
The need for automated information gathering and processing was born with the web. This need
has been growing with the explosion in the amount of web sites and content.
For this reason, constant strides have been made in agents’ performances. What is more, the new
generation of agents has benefited from improvements in ergonomy and usability, with a closer
integration to browsers. So this is the right time to make intelligent agents available to the general
public.
4 – What services can intelligent software agents provide?
Each agent has a comprehensive and precise function that meets a need.
Agents can perform information gathering, research and monitoring tasks
Some examples where agents are useful:
-
a student is looking for mp3 music files: the agent MP3-Wolf will find and retrieve them to his
/her hard drive.
-
a web surfer wants to surf a content-rich web site offline: the agent MemoWeb will download
the whole of the website to their hard drive.
-
a prospective customer wants to find the best deal on the web for a product:
a) The “old fashioned” way: find the relevant websites, go through each one,
look up prices or ask for quotes, browse through the results, choose, order.
b) The agents’ way: go to AgentLand, download and parameter a “shopbot” such
as Copernic Shopper, let it research, compute, and synthesize the best
deals, consider the results, order.
5- What does AgentLand offer?
AgentLand has been designed with a view to providing the web surfer with useful information and
resources, from the home page on, in a few mouse clicks. Each agent is featured in a detailed
card from where it is easy to evaluate and download the software.
In addition, AgentLand offers a comprehensive directory of relevant websites, useful tips, and
industry information and news. Its vocation is to create and coordinate a virtual community:
newsgroups and mailing lists will convey knowledge, opinions, and experiences.
Thus, this portal will evolve with each visitor’s involvement: everybody will be free to share his or
her experience and advice, and to offer their agent (or rather their own customization of an
existing agent). The more an intelligent agent is personalized, the more efficient it is. So, on
AgentLand, web surfers will be able to find or trade customized agents.
Finally, you get to meet Cybelle, our very own chatterbot, an intelligent agent, who interacts with
the visitor in plain English and guides them around AgentLand.
6- What is AgentLand’s business model?
AgentLand’s revenues will come from sale of targeted advertising space and a commission on the
downloading of some agents.
7- Is AgentLand a mere software-selling platform?
No, AgentLand wants to become the place for information sharing about intelligent software
agents. AgentLand also hopes to strengthen the awareness of the ”agent solution”.
8- Wanting to be a meeting place, an exchange platform and a solutions provider, is this
coherent?
AgentLand’s ambition is to be the one stop comprehensive site for exchanging information,
providing resources, and delivering solutions. Thus, all relevant information can easily be found. In
a few mouse clicks, the web surfer can freely get acquainted with intelligent software agents, get
relevant information, then choose the agent that will meet their needs.
9 – What is the relationship between AgentLand and software developers?
AgentLand partners with software publishers to present and distribute products to web surfers. In
order to provide our visitors with the highest level of service, only software that has been
evaluated and validated by the AgentLand team will be made available.
10 – Who are AgentLand’s competitors?
AgentLand’s positioning is quite specific, as it offers just one type of software, intelligent agents,
distributed only through downloading.
Potential competitors might be dedicated software distributors or the on-line retail industry.
AgentLand will differentiate itself from the competition through the signature of exclusive
partnerships, through the attractiveness of its content (exclusive information, a buzzing
community, selection of agents), and through its ability to be a true place for exchanging
personalized intelligent software agents.
11 – What is the magnitude of the AgentLand project?
Development time: CYBION has been working on AgentLand for two years.
Development team: a dozen bilingual cyber-documentalists, experts in using Internet tools
(crawlers, information gathering, intelligent software agents, etc.).
Investment: investors have already contributed to AgentLand, to the amount of 23 million French
Francs (3.5 millions Euros).
Agent’s database: (as of 03/28/2001) more than 1700 agents listed and more than 500
downloadable agents
Web server: Apache operating on Linux.
12- What is CYBION?
Incorporated: 1996
Web sites: www.cybion.com - www.cybion.fr - www.agentland.com - www.agentland.fr
Management:
Carlo REVELLI: Graduate of Economics from the University of Rome, researcher in information
technology at Paris X University, formerly with IFOP, founder and CEO of CYBION.
Joël de ROSNAY: PhD in Science, former research associate at Pasteur Institute and MIT,
presently Director of Forecasting and Assessment at the Cite des Sciences et de l’Industrie de la
Villette, co- founder and Strategy Director of CYBION.
Bertrand HEYNARD: Post-graduate in Industrial and Financial Strategy, CFO of CYBION.
Workforce: 25 collaborators
Status: corporation
Capital: 43.006 Euros
Ownership: founders and private investors