This paper describes an analysis of benevolent agents in multiagent systems (MAS). We first present a definition and motivation for benevolence that is appropriate for MAS. We then describe requirements for the structure and behavior of benevolent agents and construct a simulator, called Mattress In the Road (MIR), that can analyze and verify such requirements. Using MIR, simulations of benevolence are conducted and the results are analyzed thoroughly. Finally, we suggest some MAS applications that are driven by benevolent agents, and speculate about a more sociable Web due to benevolence as a norm. Keywords Organization and social structure; social simulation; benevolence
Abdulla M. Mohamed, Michael N. Huhns