Biological inspiration for artificial immune systems

Artificial immune systems (AISs) to date have generally been inspired by naive biological metaphors. This has limited the effectiveness of these systems. In this position paper two ways in which AlSs could be made more biologically realistic are discussed. We propose that AlSs should draw their inspiration from organisms which possess only innate immune systems, and that AISs should employ systemic models of the immune system to structure their overall design. An outline of plant and invertebrate immune systems is presented, and a number of contemporary systemic models are reviewed. The implications for interdisciplinary research that more biologically-realistic AlSs could have is also discussed.