Integrating unsupervised learning, motivation and action selection in an a-life agent

Abstract

How can we expect an A-life Agent to learn how to perform tasks when it is not told what those tasks are, and it is not provided any indication or feedback as to its performance? This is at the heart of the unsupervised learning problem. If the Agent were able to learn in this manner, how could specific tasks be communicated to it? This is the Goal setting problem. Having been set a task, how would the Agent go about choosing things to do that will lead it to perform those tasks in an orderly manner? This is at the heart of the action selection problem.