Expert systems are AI programs that simulate the decision-making ability of a human expert in a particular field. They use knowledge stored in a knowledge base and a set of rules, or an inference engine, to provide advice or recommendations.
Expert systems work by applying rules to the knowledge stored in the knowledge base to make inferences. These rules are typically in the form of IF-THEN statements. For example, an expert system for medical diagnosis might have a rule like "IF the patient has a fever and a rash, THEN they may have measles".
The knowledge base and rules are usually created with the help of human experts in the field.
Expert systems can make decisions quickly and consistently, and can be used in fields where human expertise is scarce or expensive. However, they are limited by the quality and completeness of their knowledge base and rules, and can struggle with complex or ambiguous situations. They also lack the ability to learn from new data or experiences.