Software agents and virtual organizations: consent and trust

Abstract

The use of software agents in electronic commerce scenarios must be connected with the existence of corporate bodies and Virtual Organizations. Indeed, software agents tend to play a determinant role in corporate bodies and in virtual enterprises. However, it must be well thought-out that software agents behaviour is not entirely foreseeable, being able to behave with good or bad faith. Thus being, it is of the utmost relevance to consider the issue of trust on software agents, both at an individual and at a systemic level. At the systemic level it will be interesting to consider the figure of smart contracts, which may well enhance trust in electronic contracting.