Abstract: True improvements in large computer systems always come
   through their engineering devices. In AI, one of the fundamental
   differences from conventional computer science (such as software
   engineering and database technology) is its own established
   programming methodology. Rule-based programming has been dominant for
   AI research and applications. However, there are a number of inherent
   engineering problems with existing rule-based programming systems and
   tools. Most notably, they are inefficient in structural
   representation, and rules in general lack software engineering devices
   to make them a viable choice for large programs. Many researchers have
   therefore begun to integrate the rule-based paradigm with
   object-oriented programming, which has its engineering strength in
   these areas. This paper establishes the concepts of knowledge objects
   and intelligent objects based on the integration of rules and objects,
   and outlines an extended object model and an on-going project of the
   authors' design along this direction.