Can AI simulate democratic systems?
Artificial Utopia: Simulation and Intelligent Agents for a Democratised Future
This paper proposes "Artificial Utopia," a research agenda using computational simulations (including multi-agent systems, AI, and large language models) to explore alternative democratic and economic systems, specifically citizen assemblies and democratic firms. It aims to test the viability and potential pitfalls of these "utopian" systems in silico, focusing on collective decision-making, challenges, and transitions from existing systems.
Key points for LLM-based multi-agent systems: LLMs can enhance agent-based models by enabling linguistically sophisticated agents and exploring language's role in political and economic dynamics, potentially revolutionizing how power, emotions, and deliberation are modeled. However, challenges remain regarding value alignment, computational cost, and methodological limitations when representing cultural shifts using LLMs. The paper suggests a research agenda integrating LLMs with other approaches like game theory and reinforcement learning to address such issues.