In BDI agent programming, an intention is the combined plan steps an agent commits to in order to achieve a goal. One of the key features of the BDI approach is the ability of an agent to pursue multiple goals concurrently, by interleaving the steps of multiple intentions. Choosing the next step to progress (execute) from these concurrent intentions is critical, as the wrong choice can result in failure to achieve one or more goals. Conversely, appropriate scheduling of the steps in intentions can maximise the number of goals achieved by the agent. Deciding which intention to progress next becomes more challenging in settings where goals must be achieved before a deadline. An interleaving of steps in the agent's intentions that avoids conflicts may still result in failure to achieve a goal by its deadline.
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