Reconciling Simulation and Distributed Deployment in a MAS Development Framework

AAMAS 2026 Workshop EMAS Submission37 Authors

Keywords: Multi-agent systems, Multi-agent frameworks, Agent-Based Model, Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation

TL;DR: Can we build a framework that supports both network-distributed deployments and simulations

Abstract:

In a world where agents are attracting renewed attention as a model for distributing artificial intelligence applications, the ability to test and simulate systems of agents becomes more important. However, agent-based simulation platforms and network-distributed multi-agent system deployment frameworks traditionally differ strongly in their approach to agent interaction and execution model, although each could benefit from featuring the capabilities of the other.

Following in the tracks of other works that have attempted to bridge the gap for specific cases, this paper makes a primary investigation on the requirements that a framework would need to satisfy in order to support both large-scale simulations and real-life deployments with the same agent code. We present a minimal set of principles upon which features can be developed, relating to interaction support, execution control, and environment modeling.

We developed a set of features that allow compatibility between an ABM application and an existing MAS framework and a proof-of-concept implementation of a classic ABM application, showing how ABM features can be built into an agent deployment framework so that the same application can run in simulation and in real-life-deployment mode, validating the claim that the same framework could be used for both scenarios.

Paper Type: Regular paper

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Submission Number: 37