EXPERT SYSTEM

noun (Science and Technology) A computer system using software which stores and applies the knowledge of experts in a particular field, so that a person using the system can draw upon that expertise to make decisions, inferences, etc. Etymology: Formed by compounding: although not itself expert, the system is founded on expert knowledge, proving the truth of the maxim that a computer system can only be as good as the input it receives (a principle in computing that is known by the acronym GIGO, or garbage in, garbage out). History and Usage: The first expert systems were developed in the second half of the seventies; they have proved very successful and popular, especially in diagnostic work, because of their ability to consider large numbers of symptoms or variables at one time and reach logical conclusions. The technology of expert systems is said to have now matured to a point where it can help manufacturers improve productivity and hence their competitive position. British Business 14 Apr. 1989, p. 9