A knowledge base is not merely a space for data storage, but can be an artificial intelligence tool for delivering intelligent decisions. Various knowledge representation techniques, including frames and scripts, represent knowledge. The services offered are explanation, reasoning and intelligent decision support.

Knowledge-based computer-aided systems engineering (KB-CASE) tools assist designers by providing suggestions and solutions, thereby helping to investigate the results of design decisions. The knowledge base analysis and design allows users to frame knowledge bases, from which informative decisions are made.

Human readable knowledge bases enable people to access and use the knowledge. They store help documents, manuals, troubleshooting information and frequently answered questions. They can be interactive and lead users to solutions to problems they have, but rely on the user providing information to guide the process.

Machine readable knowledge bases store knowledge, but only in system readable forms. Solutions are offered based upon automated deductive reasoning and are not so interactive as this relies on query systems that have software that can respond to the knowledge base to narrow down a solution. This means that machine readable knowledge base information shared to other machines is usually linear and is limited in interactivity, unlike the human interaction which is query based.