Behavior tree (artificial intelligence, robotics and control)

Behavior trees (also known as BTs) are a way for robotic systems, artificial intelligence systems, and other machines to decide how to behave in a given situation. They are made up of two parts: the decision tree and the action list. The decision tree is a set of questions (or “conditions”) that the robot or AI system has to answer in order to decide the right course of action. The action list is a set of tasks the robot will try and do in order to accomplish the goal.

In simple terms, a behavior tree is like a flow chart. You start at the beginning with a question, then answer it by saying either yes or no. Depending on your answer, you then have to follow a different path and answer a different question. Each path can lead you to different actions to take or tasks to complete. Eventually, you will reach the end of the tree and have taken all the necessary steps to complete your goal.