On the Design of Parallel Production System Machines: What's in a LIP?

In a general manner we discuss the appropriateness of three classes of parallel computers for one AI programming methodology, Production Systems. The three classes considered are coarse-grain, fine-grain and very fine-grain parallel processors. We conjecture that each class is suitable for different Production System formalisms. Using current technology, we further project execution rates for two of these classes in the range of 10,000 Working Memory transactions per second