The intelligent Web is coming

Interaction with the Internet, which is currently represented, for the most part, as interaction with a database will necessarily evolve to become interaction with a huge collection of knowledge bases. Of course, the need for data will not vanish. Rather, the need will enlarge to encompass data mining tools and associated decision support systems. There is a tremendous opportunity for research here. Suitable topics for research include, but are not limited to: intelligent agents; fuzzy search engines; reasoning under quantitative uncertainty; computing with words; database integration; knowledge verification and update; authentication protocols; text and image mining; feature extraction; decomposition for reuse; software reuse, knowledge amplification; and a plethora of related technologies. It is important that we, as a technical society, foresee these changes on the horizon. In this manner, we can be best assured that our research and teachings will be well-funded and meaningful to society