Preface
Downloaded by 80.82.77.83 on December 27, 2017 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: September 1, 1989 | doi: 10.1021/bk-1989-0408.pr001
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME we
have organized a symposium on artificial intelligence (AI) and prepared a book based on the symposium. Since our first effort (Artificial Intelligence Applications in Chemistry, A C S Symposium Series 306), the field has changed dramatically, in large part because of the advent of commercially available PC-based expert system software. Expert system development has moved out of the hands of the A I gurus and into the hands of practicing chemists. This is a positive step for the field of chemistry. There no longer appears to be a danger of A I being dismissed as a fad or held back through lack of interest from the chemical community. Now, the issues have become cost effectiveness, intellectual property protection, and application selection. The main thrust of this book is to present examples of how expert systems can solve chemical problems. To make the book more useful to novices i n the field of artificial intelligence, we have written a brief introductory chapter explaining expert systems. The glossary at the end of the introduction should be of help to novices and experts alike. W e have also included highlights of a panel discussion held at the symposium. The panel was posed the question, " C a n knowledge bases be made generally available in a useful format?" Unfortunately, more issues were raised than questions answered. W e wish to thank the authors who contributed their time and ideas to the symposium and the book. In addition, we would like to thank the staff of the A C S Books Department, both for their advice and for providing us the opportunity to publish this book. Finally, we acknowledge the encouragement and support we received from our management at R o h m and Haas Company. B R U C E A. H O H N E
THOMAS H. PIERCE
Rohm and Haas Company Spring House, PA 19477
Rohm and Haas Company Bristol, PA 19007
July 5, 1989
xi Hohne and Pierce; Expert System Applications in Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1989.
