Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani

Work Integrated Learning Programmes Division

First Semester 2025-2026
Digital Learning Handout
Part A: Content Design
Course Title Artificial and Computational Intelligence
Course No(s) AIML ZG557 /SE ZG557
Credit Units 5
Credit Model 1.25 - 1.5 - 2.25
Course Author Profs. Vimal SP, Raja vadhana Prabhakar
Lead Instructor Madhusudhanan B.
Version No: 5.0
Date: 24/02/2025

Course Description:
Agents and environments, Task Environments, Working of agents; Uninformed Search Algorithms:
Informed Search. Local Search Algorithms & Optimization Problems: Genetic Algorithm; Searching with
Non-Deterministic Actions, Partial Information and Online search agents, Game Playing, Constraint
Satisfaction Problem, Knowledge Representation using Logics: TT-Entail for inference from truth table,
Proof by resolution, Forward Chaining and Backward Chaining, Inference in FOL, Unification & Lifting,
Forward chaining, Backward Chaining, Resolution; Probabilistic Representation and Reasoning :
Inference using full joint distribution, Representation of Conditional Independence using BN,
Reinforcement Learning; Difference between crisp and fuzzy logic, shapes of membership function,
Fuzzification and defuzzification, fuzzy logic reasoning; Decision making with fuzzy information, Fuzzy
Classification; Connectionist Models: Introduction to Neural Networks, Hopfield Networks, Perceptron
Learning, Back propagation & Competitive Learning, Applications of Neural Net: Speech, Vision,
Traveling Salesman; Genetic Algorithms - Chromosomes, fitness functions, and selection mechanisms,
Genetic algorithms: crossover and mutation, Genetic programming.

Course Objectives
No Course Objective
CO1 Identify and recall fundamental concepts and techniques for designing intelligent agents
CO2 Represent and use of knowledge in inference-based problem solving approaches
CO3 Apply probability theory to describe and model agents operating in uncertain environments
CO4 Implement optimization models of computation and processing in real world application of
intelligent agents

Text Book(s):
T1 Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig, “Artificial Intelligence – A Modern Approach”, Pearson Education,
2006. Third Edition

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Reference Book(s) & other resources:
R1 Ryszard S. Michalski, Jaime G. Carbonell and Tom M. Mitchell, “Machine Learning: An Artificial
Intelligence Approach”, Elsevier, 2014
R2 Dan W Patterson, “Introduction to AI and Expert Systems”, Prentice Hall of India, New Delhi, 2010
R3 Elaine Rich and Kevin Knight, “Artificial Intelligence”, Tata McGraw Hill Publishing Company,
New Delhi, 2003. Second Edition
Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to

LO1 Understand and recall agent-environment interactions through architectures and design PEAS
descriptions of agents. Measure success by the agent's ability to perform tasks such as
pathfinding and decision-making.
LO2 Analysing the working of uninformed search algorithms like Uniform Cost Search, Depth
Limited Search and Iterative Deepening Search.
LO3 Design and implement heuristic functions in search algorithms like A* and measure its
efficiency through the number of nodes expanded and the solution's optimality.
LO4 Design and implement the local search algorithms like Hill Climbing, simulated annealing and
evolutionary techniques like Genetic algorithm, Ant Colony Optimization, particle swarm
optimization for designing solution for N-Queen problem or Travelling Salesman problem.
LO5 Design static evaluation measure for building adversarial search agents in multiplayer player
Games and implement Game playing using algorithms like Minimax and Alpha Beta pruning.
LO6 Apply logical inference techniques to solve problems like agent navigation in a Grid World.
Measure success by the correctness and efficiency of inferred solutions.
LO7 Apply probabilistic models for decision-making under uncertainty using Bayesian networks with
exact inferencing, approximate inferencing by direct sampling. Implement solution for temporal
problems and infer using Hidden Markov Models.
LO8 Understand the importance of ethical considerations while designing AI solutions.

Modular Content Structure

1. Introduction
o Artificial Intelligence: Foundations, Overview of Modern AI & Application Domains.
2. Introduction to Intelligent Agents: Notion of Agents and Environments, Rationality, Nature of
Environments, Structure of Agents
3. Problem Solving Agent using Search:
o Problem Formulation, Uninformed Search Algorithms: Uniform cost Search, Depth
Limited Search, Iterative Deepening Search – Informed Search Algorithms: Notion of
Heuristics, Greedy best first search, A* search, Optimality of A*
o Heuristic Functions: Heuristic Accuracy & Algorithm performance, Admissible
heuristics from relaxed problems, pattern databases & Experience
o Local Search Algorithms & Optimization Problems: Hill Climbing Search, Simulated
Annealing, Local Beam Search, Evolutionary Algorithms - Genetic Algorithm, Ant
Colony Optimization, Particle Swarm Optimization
4. Game Playing:
o Searching to play games: Minimax Algorithm, Alpha-Beta Pruning

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 o Making imperfect real time decisions
5. Knowledge Representation using Logics:
(Pre-Reading: Logics- Propositional, Predicate, TT-Entail, Theorem Proving)
o Logic Representation of a sample agent, Proof by resolution, DPLL Algorithm, Agents
based on Propositional logic
o Overview of First Order Logic semantics, Example representation, Unification & Lifting,
forward chaining, Backward Chaining, Resolution
6. Probabilistic Representation and Reasoning
o Inference using full joint distribution & Example, Knowledge representation using
Bayesian Networks, semantics of Bayesian Networks, Representation of Conditional
Independence using Bayesian Networks
o Exact Inference - by enumeration and variable elimination, Need for Approximate
Inference - Direct Sampling
7. Reasoning over time
o Time and Uncertainty, Inference in temporal models
o Hidden Morkov Models, Algorithms: Filtering, Smoothing, Finding the most likely
sequence, EM algorithms for Learning the parameters of HMM
8. Ethics in AI
o Explainable AI- Logically Explained Network, Explainable Bayesian Network

Part B: Learning Plan

Contact List of Topic Title Sub-Topics Reference
Session
1 Introduction ● What is Artificial Intelligence: T1: 1.1
Acting Humanly, Thinking humanly,
Thinking rationally, Acting
Rationally
T1: 1.2, 1.4
● Foundations of AI
● Brief Overview of Modern AI &
Application Domains.
2 Introduction to ● Intelligent Agents: Notion of Agents
Intelligent Agents and Environments, Rationality
● Nature of Environments, Structure of T1: Chapter 2
Agents
3 Problem Solving ● Problem Solving Agent
Agent using ● Problem Formulation - Examples
Search ● Uninformed Search Algorithms: T1: Chapter
Uniform cost Search, Depth Limited
3.1-3.4, 3.5.1, 3.5.2
Search, Iterative Deepening Search.
● Notion of Heuristics
● Informed Search Algorithms :
Greedy best first search, A* search

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4 Problem Solving ● Optimality of A*
Agent using ● Heuristic Functions
Search ● Heuristic Accuracy & Algorithm T1: Chapter 3.5.2, 3.6
performance
● Admissible heuristics from relaxed
problems, pattern databases. &
Experience
5 Problem Solving ● Local Search Algorithms &
Agent using Optimization Problems
Search ● Hill Climbing Search T1: Chapter 4.1
● Simulated Annealing,
● Local Beam Search

6 Problem Solving ● Genetic Algorithm T1: Chapter 4.1,

Agent using Research papers & web
Search resources

7 Problem Solving ● Ant Colony Optimization

Agent using ● Particle Swarm Optimization
Search Research papers & web
resources

8 Game Playing ● Searching to play games

● Minimax Algorithm
● Alpha-Beta Pruning T1: Chapter 5.1 to 5.4
● Making imperfect real time decisions
9 Knowledge ● Logical Agent
Representation ● Logic Representation of a sample
using Logics agent T1: Chapter 7.1, 7.2,
● DPLL Algorithm, Agents based on 7.5.2, 7.5.3, 7.6.1, 8.1,
Propositional logic 8.3.4
● Overview of First Order Logic
semantics, Example representation
10 Knowledge ● Inference in First Order Logic
Representation ● Unification & Lifting
using Logics ● Forward chaining
● Backward Chaining
T1: Chapter 9

11 Probabilistic ● Resolution T1: Chapter 9, 13, 14.1

Representation and ● Probabilistic Representation and
Reasoning Reasoning
● Inference using full joint distribution
& Example
● Knowledge representation using
Bayesian Networks

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 12 Probabilistic ● Semantics of Bayesian Networks
Representation and ● Representation of Conditional
Independence using BN T1: 14.2, 14.3
Reasoning

13 Probabilistic ● Exact Inference - by enumeration

Representation and and variable elimination
● Need for Approximate Inference - T1: 14.4, 14.5
Reasoning
Direct Sampling

14 Reasoning over ● Reasoning over time

time ● Time and Uncertainty
● Inference in temporal models T1: Chapter 15.1, 15.2
●
15 Reasoning over ● Hidden Markov Models
time ● Learning HMM Parameters using
EM Algorithm T1: Chapter , 15.3, 20.3-
● Applications of HMM 20.3.3

16 Ethics in AI ● Explainable AI- Logically Explained

Network, Explainable Bayesian
Research papers & web
Network
resources

Experiential Learning Components:

1. Lab work: 7
2. Project work: 0
3. Case Study: 0
4. Simulation: 0
5. Work Integrated Learning Assignment- 2 Assignments
6. Design work/ Field work: 0
Objective of Experiential Learning Component:
Learners will implement informed/uninformed/local search algorithms, adversarial search and Bayesian
networks using Python, rule-based systems in Prolog

Scope of Experiential Learning Component:

Programming language – Python, Prolog
Tools and libraries: Jupyter, Numpy, Scipy, Pandas, pgmpy, nltk

Lab Infrastructure:
Google Colab, Online: https://www.swi-prolog.org/

List of Experiments:
Lab Lab Objective Session

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 No Reference
1 Implement Uninformed Search Algorithms like BFS/DFS 3
2 Implement A* algorithm for Informed Search 4
3 Implement Local Search Techniques using Genetic Algorithm 6
4 Implement MINIMAX algorithm for Adversarial Search for game playing 8
5 Represent knowledge using logics and perform reasoning using PROLOG 10
6 Experiment with Bayesian Networks and exact Inferencing 13
7 Experiment with application of Hidden Markov Model in Natural 15
Language Processing

Evaluation Scheme:
Legend: EC = Evaluation Component; AN = After Noon Session; FN = Fore Noon Session
Evaluation Name (Quiz, Lab, Project, Type (Open Weight Duration Day, Date,
Component Mid-term exam, End book, Closed Session, Time
semester exam, etc.) book,
Online, etc.)

Quiz I Online 5% 1 day September 01-10,

EC – 1*
2025
Lab Assignment Online 13% 10 days October 10-20,
2025
Lab Assignment Online 12 % 10 days November 01-10,
2025
Mid-Semester Test Closed Book 30% 2 hours 21/09/2025
EC - 2 (AN)

Comprehensive Exam Open Book 40% 2 ½ Hours 30/11/2025

EC - 3 (AN)

EC1* (30%): Quiz: 5 %, Lab Assignment/Assignment: 25%

Syllabus for Mid-Semester Test (Closed Book): Topics in Contact session: 1 to 8
Syllabus for Comprehensive Exam (Open Book): All topics

Important Links and Information:

eLearn Portal: https://elearn.bits-pilani.ac.in
Students must visit the eLearn portal regularly and stay updated with the latest announcements and
deadlines.
Contact Sessions: Students should attend the online lectures as per the schedule provided on the eLearn
portal.
Evaluation Guidelines:

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 1. EC-1 consists of either two Assignments or three Quizzes. Students will attempt them through the
course pages on the eLearn portal. Announcements will be made on the portal in a timely manner.
2. For Closed Book tests: No books or reference material of any kind will be permitted.
3. For Open Book exams: “open book” means text/ reference books (publisher copy only) and does
not include any other learning material. No other learning material will be permitted during the
open book examinations. For Detailed Guidelines refer to the attached document.
EC3 Guidelines
4. If a student is unable to appear for the Regular Test/Exam due to genuine exigencies, the student
should follow the procedure to apply for the Make-Up Test/Exam, which will be made available
on the eLearn portal. The Make-Up Test/Exam will be conducted only at selected exam centres on
the dates to be announced later.
It shall be the responsibility of the individual student to be regular in maintaining the self-study schedule
as given in the course handout, attend the online lectures, and take all the prescribed evaluation components
such as Assignments/Quizzes, Mid-Semester Tests and Comprehensive Exams according to the evaluation
scheme provided in the handout.

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