Agents can be classified according to their behavioural capabilities.

Reactive agents are those whose behaviour is fully determined by the state of its environment.

Pro-active agents are those whose behaviour can be determined by its own state as well as the state of its environment. Pro-active agents might follow their own set of developmental rules. These rules can then interact with the rules governing their behaviour in relation to their environment, adding a further layer of complexity to the model.

Next: Adaptive and Non-Adaptive Agents