Run-time Norms Synthesis in Multi-Objective Multi-Agent Systems

Abstract

Norms represent behavioural aspects that are encouraged by a social group of agents or the majority of agents in a system. Normative systems enable coordinating synthesised norms of heterogeneous agents in complex multi-agent systems autonomously. In real applications, agents have multiple objectives that may contradict each other or contradict the synthesised norms. Therefore, agents need a mechanism to understand the impact of a suggested norm on their objectives and decide whether or not to adopt it. To address these challenges, a utilitybased norm synthesis (UNS) model is proposed which allows the agents to coordinate their behaviour while achieving their conflicting objectives. UNS proposes a utility-based case-based reasoning technique, using casebased reasoning for run-time norm synthesising in a centralised approach, and a utility function derived from the objectives of the system and its operating agents to decide whether or not to adopt a norm. The model is evaluated using a two intersecting roads scenario and the results show its efficacy to optimise multiple objectives while adopting synthesised norms.