Influence in MultiAgent Systems Application to Coalitions

1. Influence in MultiAgent SystemsApplication to Coalitions Z. Maamar, P. Labbé, W. Mansoor, E. Bataineh KSCO’2002 - Toulouse

2. Plan • Overview • Definitions • Analysis • Conclusion

3. Overview • Purpose: Influence Framework to understand and predict the behavior of software agents. • Influence: • Investigates the causes of human modification (behavior, attitude, belief) • Two components: who influences and who is influenced

4. Influence in MASs: • Goal and Belief levels: knowledge perspective • Task and Resource levels: organization perspective GBTR Framework • The four levels are connected together • Influence as a cognitive process by which an agent acquires new knowledge (social learning)

5. Definitions – GBTR framework • Goal influence: agent’s goal-hierarchy is adapted, after the insertion of a new goal in this hierarchy • Belief influence: agent’s belief-repository is updated, after the insertion of a new belief in this repository

6. Task influence: agent’s task-repository is updated, after either the insertion of a new task in this repository or the modification of the characteristics of a specific task of this repository • Resource influence: agent’s resource repository is updated. This agent could either receive additional resources or lose some of its resources momentarily

7. Awareness Module • a.     Locating Agents. • b.     Establishing Relationships with them. Examples of relationships could be friendly and hostile. • c.       Understand their operations.

8. Assessment module • The agent are new or existing • Investigate the relationship • Analysis

10. Analysis – GBTR framework • An agent could influence another agent at goal, belief, task, and resource levels • 8 combinations are obtained

13. Scenario

14. Goal influence • Positive influence between vessel1 and vessel2: carry_troops_for_vessel2 • Negative influence between vessel1and submarine1 :provide_support_to_vessel1

15. Belief influence: • Positive influence between vessel1 and submarine1: -         reinforcement of submarine1’s beliefs. • Negative influence between vessel1 and vessel2: contradiction of what vessel2 assumed about submarine1’s responsibilities.

16. Task influence: • Positive influence between vessel1 and vessel2: vessel1 has been ordered to transport equipments on behalf of vessel2. • Negative influence between vessel1 and submarine1: submarine1 will fulfill new tasks for vessel1, such as attacking the enemy float. In fact, these tasks have not been planned in submarine1’s initial schedule.

17. Resource influence: • Positive influence between vessel1 and vessel2: The new tasks that vessel1 will carry out requires the use of its resources, such as a crane. • Negative influence between vessel1 and submarine1: submarine1 will use its resources.

18. Conclusion • The GBTR framework • Knowledge and organization perspectives • Influence could be either positive or negative • Coalition as a running scenarios to illustrate the feasibility of the GBTR framework