Policy

A policy is the systematic answer an agent gives to the question, “What should I do in this situation?” In simple systems, a policy may be defined by explicit rules; in more advanced systems, it is learned from data and experience. In reinforcement learning especially, policy quality is one of the strongest determinants of long-term system success. The key is not just selecting an action, but selecting it in light of context, goals, and future effects. For that reason, policy is more about behavior design than prediction alone. A good policy is what makes good decisions repeatable.