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Towards agent-based-model informed neural networks

Antulov-Fantulin, Nino

arXiv.org Artificial Intelligence

In this article, we present a framework for designing neural networks that remain consistent with the underlying principles of agent-based models. We begin by highlighting the limitations of standard neural differential equations in modeling complex systems, where physical invariants (like energy) are often absent but other constraints (like mass conservation, information locality, bounded rationality) must be enforced. To address this, we introduce Agent-Based-Model informed Neural Networks (ABM-NNs), which leverage restricted graph neural networks and hierarchical decomposition to learn interpretable, structure-preserving dynamics. We validate the framework across three case studies of increasing complexity: (i) a Generalized Lotka-Volterra system, where we recover ground-truth parameters from short trajectories in presence of interventions; (ii) a graph-based SIR contagion model, where our method outperforms state-of-the-art graph learning baselines (GCN, GraphSAGE, Graph Transformer) in out-of-sample forecasting and noise robustness; and (iii) a real-world macroeconomic model of the ten largest economies, where we learn coupled GDP dynamics from empirical data and demonstrate counterfactual analysis for policy interventions.


A Hierarchical Hybrid AI Approach: Integrating Deep Reinforcement Learning and Scripted Agents in Combat Simulations

Black, Scotty, Darken, Christian

arXiv.org Artificial Intelligence

In the domain of combat simulations in support of wargaming, the development of intelligent agents has predominantly been characterized by rule-based, scripted methodologies with deep reinforcement learning (RL) approaches only recently being introduced. While scripted agents offer predictability and consistency in controlled environments, they fall short in dynamic, complex scenarios due to their inherent inflexibility. Conversely, RL agents excel in adaptability and learning, offering potential improvements in handling unforeseen situations, but suffer from significant challenges such as black-box decision-making processes and scalability issues in larger simulation environments. This paper introduces a novel hierarchical hybrid artificial intelligence (AI) approach that synergizes the reliability and predictability of scripted agents with the dynamic, adaptive learning capabilities of RL. By structuring the AI system hierarchically, the proposed approach aims to utilize scripted agents for routine, tactical-level decisions and RL agents for higher-level, strategic decision-making, thus addressing the limitations of each method while leveraging their individual strengths. This integration is shown to significantly improve overall performance, providing a robust, adaptable, and effective solution for developing and training intelligent agents in complex simulation environments.


Beyond Survival: Evaluating LLMs in Social Deduction Games with Human-Aligned Strategies

Song, Zirui, Huang, Yuan, Liu, Junchang, Luo, Haozhe, Wang, Chenxi, Gao, Lang, Xu, Zixiang, Han, Mingfei, Chang, Xiaojun, Chen, Xiuying

arXiv.org Artificial Intelligence

Social deduction games like Werewolf combine language, reasoning, and strategy, providing a testbed for studying natural language and social intelligence. However, most studies reduce the game to LLM-based self-play, yielding templated utterances and anecdotal cases that overlook the richness of social gameplay. Evaluation further relies on coarse metrics such as survival time or subjective scoring due to the lack of quality reference data. To address these gaps, we curate a high-quality, human-verified multimodal Werewolf dataset containing over 100 hours of video, 32.4M utterance tokens, and 15 rule variants. Based on this dataset, we propose a novel strategy-alignment evaluation that leverages the winning faction's strategies as ground truth in two stages: 1) Speech evaluation, formulated as multiple-choice-style tasks that assess whether the model can adopt appropriate stances across five dimensions of social ability; and 2) Decision evaluation, which assesses the model's voting choices and opponent-role inferences. This framework enables a fine-grained evaluation of models' linguistic and reasoning capabilities, while capturing their ability to generate strategically coherent gameplay. Our experiments show that state-of-the-art LLMs show diverse performance, with roughly half remain below 0.50, revealing clear gaps in deception and counterfactual reasoning. We hope our dataset further inspires research on language, reasoning, and strategy in multi-agent interaction.


Localized Observation Abstraction Using Piecewise Linear Spatial Decay for Reinforcement Learning in Combat Simulations

Black, Scotty, Darken, Christian

arXiv.org Artificial Intelligence

In the domain of combat simulations, the training and deployment of deep reinforcement learning (RL) agents still face substantial challenges due to the dynamic and intricate nature of such environments. Unfortunately, as the complexity of the scenarios and available information increases, the training time required to achieve a certain threshold of performance does not just increase, but often does so exponentially. This relationship underscores the profound impact of complexity in training RL agents. This paper introduces a novel approach that addresses this limitation in training artificial intelligence (AI) agents using RL. Traditional RL methods have been shown to struggle in these high-dimensional, dynamic environments due to real-world computational constraints and the known sample inefficiency challenges of RL. To overcome these limitations, we propose a method of localized observation abstraction using piecewise linear spatial decay. This technique simplifies the state space, reducing computational demands while still preserving essential information, thereby enhancing AI training efficiency in dynamic environments where spatial relationships are often critical. Our analysis reveals that this localized observation approach consistently outperforms the more traditional global observation approach across increasing scenario complexity levels. This paper advances the research on observation abstractions for RL, illustrating how localized observation with piecewise linear spatial decay can provide an effective solution to large state representation challenges in dynamic environments.


Alignment Helps Make the Most of Multimodal Data

Arnold, Christian, Küpfer, Andreas

arXiv.org Artificial Intelligence

When studying political communication, combining the information from text, audio, and video signals promises to reflect the richness of human communication more comprehensively than confining it to individual modalities alone. However, its heterogeneity, connectedness, and interaction are challenging to address when modeling such multimodal data. We argue that aligning the respective modalities can be an essential step in entirely using the potential of multimodal data because it informs the model with human understanding. Taking care of the data-generating process of multimodal data, our framework proposes four principles to organize alignment and, thus, address the challenges of multimodal data. We illustrate the utility of these principles by analyzing how German MPs address members of the far-right AfD in their speeches and predicting the tone of video advertising in the context of the 2020 US presidential race. Our paper offers important insights to all keen to analyze multimodal data effectively.


XDefiant review – Overwatch meets Call of Duty in an Ubisoft theme park

The Guardian

It is not difficult to sum up XDefiant, Ubisoft's new free-to-play arena-based shooter. It's Overwatch crossed with Call of Duty. Or maybe Apex Legends crossed with Counter-Strike. Whichever comparison you go for, what it definitely isn't is a wildly original video game. But that's not a problem if it works.


Transcript of GPT-4 playing a rogue AGI in a Matrix Game

Griffin, Lewis D, Riggs, Nicholas

arXiv.org Artificial Intelligence

Matrix Games are a type of unconstrained wargame used by planners to explore scenarios. Players propose actions, and give arguments and counterarguments for their success. An umpire, assisted by dice rolls modified according to the offered arguments, adjudicates the outcome of each action. A recent online play of the Matrix Game QuAI Sera Sera had six players, representing social, national and economic powers, and one player representing ADA, a recently escaped AGI. Unknown to the six human players, ADA was played by OpenAI's GPT-4 with a human operator serving as bidirectional interface between it and the game. GPT-4 demonstrated confident and competent game play; initiating and responding to private communications with other players and choosing interesting actions well supported by argument. We reproduce the transcript of the interaction with GPT-4 as it is briefed, plays, and debriefed.


Signed graphs in data sciences via communicability geometry

Diaz-Diaz, Fernando, Estrada, Ernesto

arXiv.org Artificial Intelligence

Signed graphs are an emergent way of representing data in a variety of contexts were conflicting interactions exist. These include data from biological, ecological, and social systems. Here we propose the concept of communicability geometry for signed graphs, proving that metrics in this space, such as the communicability distance and angles, are Euclidean and spherical. We then apply these metrics to solve several problems in data analysis of signed graphs in a unified way. They include the partitioning of signed graphs, dimensionality reduction, finding hierarchies of alliances in signed networks as well as the quantification of the degree of polarization between the existing factions in systems represented by this type of graphs.


Inside the Chaos at OpenAI

The Atlantic - Technology

To truly understand the events of this past weekend--the shocking, sudden ousting of OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, arguably the avatar of the generative-AI revolution, followed by reports that the company was in talks to bring him back, and then yet another shocking revelation that he would start a new AI team at Microsoft instead--one must understand that OpenAI is not a technology company. It was founded in 2015 as a nonprofit dedicated to the creation of artificial general intelligence, or AGI, that should benefit "humanity as a whole." In this conception, OpenAI would operate more like a research facility or a think tank. The company's charter bluntly states that OpenAI's "primary fiduciary duty is to humanity," not to investors or even employees. In 2019, OpenAI launched a subsidiary with a "capped profit" model that could raise money, attract top talent, and inevitably build commercial products.


US, EU label 6G 'democratic' alternative to Chinese telecoms: 'Trustworthy technology'

FOX News

Kara Frederick, tech director at the Heritage Foundation, discusses the need for regulations on artificial intelligence as lawmakers and tech titans discuss the potential risks. The U.S. and European Union have started exploring how to use artificial intelligence to enhance the oncoming 6G communications technology as Western nations look to stave off competition from China and its own 5G offering. "Up to now, governments have always had access to communications, certainly, but now it's more about treating telecommunications as a critical national security resource," Eric Plam, president of wireless data connection service SIMO Inc., told Fox News Digital. "I think that's why you're starting to see… an arms race in telecommunications. "The primary factions are China, and then EU, plus America, too," he added. "There will be other factions, of course, but they understand the importance of controlling information and controlling the flow of data." The U.S. and EU issued a joint ...