This new book on Artificial Intelligence follows a step by step approach, exploring the strategies needed for implementing a problem solving agent, starting with first principles using search and leading up to the representation and use of knowledge. It focuses mainly on the reasoning part of intelligent activity. The book offers both the classical methods and updated concepts of the subject like Tabu Search, Ontology for the Semantic Web, and Default Reasoning. Easy explanations for the concepts with ample examples, figures and annotations enhance the features of the text making the textbook an interesting read. Salient features - ideal for a a set of introductory courses on Artificial Intelligence, very simple, lucid and richly annotated writing style targeted at student readers and well structured algorithms that can be implemented to build real systems. The book is also essential reading for a seasoned professional interested in implementing smart applications.