VLSI and rule-based systems

Many AI applications today employ some form of if-then rule-based programming. In languages stressing production rules, such as OPS, data is pattern matched against the if part until all literals are satisfied; the then part then indicates how the database should be changed. In more deductive languages like Prolog, the match is between a goal literal whose truth is unknown, and the then part of a rule. A successful match causes a series of goals from the if part to be solved in a similar manner.