Significant achievements in the areas of multi-agent systems (MAS), data mining and knowledge discovery (KDD) over the last decade have resulted in considerable advancements in the area of information technologies. Indeed, the multi-agent system paradigm offers powerful metaphors for information system conceptualization, a range of new architectures, techniques and technologies specifically focused on the design and implementation of large-scale distributed intelligent systems operating in open heterogeneous environment. Currently, multi-agent systems draw ever-increasing attention of both the research and industrial communities. KDD methods, techniques and systems provide researchers and practitioners with powerful means for extraction of useful data patterns and knowledge from large volumes of data, thus, supporting effective and efficient solutions for a broad range of knowledge-based problems. At the same time, data mining and KDD technology also remains a subject of intensive research becoming increasingly crucial for many industrial applications. Consequently, multi-agent systems, data mining and KDD became pivotal for information technology, making ever-increasing contribution to the most complex and important problems in various areas of theory and practice.

One of the most obvious trends in the information technology is a tendency to combine the multi-agent system approach, data mining and KDD. It could be observed that recent research areas in multi-agent systems (agent behavior adaptation and reinforcement learning, collective behavior learning, e.g., through modification of collective behavior protocols, etc.) utilize data mining and KDD as a source of innovative ideas. In return, multi-agent technology is used to address architectural and implementation issues in engineering and software implementation of data mining and KDD systems. For instance, MAS architectures are used for distributed data mining and knowledge discovery systems, particularly, for distributed learning in data fusion systems making decisions based on many distributed heterogeneous data and information sources. The use of multi-agent technology in very large-scale data mining and KDD tasks is another example of the same trend. In the last case, the data to be mined is artificially split into subsets of considerably smaller sizes and dimensionalities, thus, reducing the initial task to the task of distributed data mining and KDD technology utilizing the multi-agent approach. The combination of multi-agent, data mining and KDD technologies is already used in the area of web intelligence showing great potential.

The initial experience with combined application of multi-agent technology to design architectures of data mining and KDD systems, and the utilization of data mining and KDD to support learning tasks in multi-agent research confirms the fact that both technologies are capable of mutual enrichment and their joint use results in information systems with emergent properties.

It can be seen that a new direction in information technology research emerges from the combination of both research areas. This direction can be outlined by such key words as autonomous intelligence, distributed intelligence, learning intelligence, emergent intelligence, emergent intelligent behavior, etc. It is worth noting that a number of very specific research problems arise on the cross-boundary of multi-agent, data mining and KDD technologies. The examples are specification framework and representation structures for distributed intelligence, new role of ontology, joint use of knowledge extracted from different heterogeneous sources, protocols for distributed data mining, etc.

The proposed Workshop is the first scientific event specifically focused on the discussion both of theoretical and applied problems arising at the cross boundary of multi-agent, data mining and KDD technologies, as well as new problems, challenges, and their impact on the future trends in both above areas and in information technology as a whole.

2. Important dates

3. Paper submission

The workshop welcomes original papers from academic, government, and industry contributors on the above proposed topics. All submissions will be subjected to a thorough review by at least two reviewers. Draft versions of original full papers up to 5500 words in English, including abstract (up to 300 words) and keywords (5 to 8), should be submitted by January 5, 2005 or sooner to the e-mail address ais@iias.spb.su. Only electronic submissions in PostScript or PDF formats are acceptable. Guidelines for the proceedings camera-ready manuscripts of the accepted papers

Proceedings of the Workshop are planned to be published by Springer Verlag Publishers in "Lecture Notes in Computer Science" series.

  http://www.springer.de/comp/lncs/index.html

That is why camera-ready manuscripts of the accepted papers should be formatted in accordance with Springer Verlag Publishers requirements (in MS Word or LATEX formats). When preparing your paper, please follow the guidance from the Information for Authors and use the style files for Proceedings and Other Multi-Author Volumes supplied by Springer-Verlag. Springer-Verlag author instructions are available at: http://www.springeronline.com/sgw/cda/frontpage/0,11855,5-164-2-72376-0,00.html#anchor9 The authors of accepted papers must strictly follow the aforementioned rules and templates. Camera ready paper submission can be made via e-mail ais@mail.iias.spb.su and also uploaded through the Workshop web site at http://space.iias.spb.su/ais05/

Copyright Form

The working language is English.

All materials concerning AIS-ADM-05 preparation, program, and other arrangements will be located on a regularly updated web site http://space.iias.spb.su/ais05/ (will be accessible after June 15, 2004)

We intend to invite a number of worldwide-recognized specialists in multi-agent system and data mining and knowledge discovery areas from the USA, Europe, Asia and Australia.

9. Location of the Meeting, Accommodation, Cultural Program

According to the preliminary agreement, the AIS-ADM-05 Workshop will take place in the historical building "Palace of Grand Prince Vladimir Romanov", now "House of Scientists", located in the heart of St. Petersburg, address: 26, Dvortsovaya emb. St.Petersburg, 191186, Russia.
This venue allows the conference organizers to arrange for workshop itself as well as for the associated events (informal discussions, reception, breaks, etc.)
All participants are expected to arrive to St. Petersburg directly. Workshop organizers intend to arrange for transportation upon arrival and departure to/from workshop venue/other hotel upon a separate request of participants.
The following assistance in housing could be provided by local organizers. We intend to engage a Destination Management Company "Monomax" to assist participants in housing and cultural program. It is possible to make reservations at reasonable price in hotels in St. Petersburg downtown area from $90 per night (single room), and from $100 per night (double room). Also reservations in better and more expensive hotels at $100 - $400 per night can be offered (hotels like Astoria, Europe, and Radisson SAS).

To come to Russia all foreign participants will need an entering visa. As a host institution SPIIRAS will handle this issue through a formal invitation letter to every participant. To issue such a letter we shall need the following details to include in the above letter for every individual: first name, middle name, surname, date of birth, citizenship, passport No, expiration date (as appear in a valid passport). In addition, each individual has to fax copy of the first page of his/her passport at +7(812)328-06-85. See more informations on : Visa application