What if LLMs Have Different World Views: Simulating Alien Civilizations with LLM-based Agents

2024-02-20

arXiv.org

AI Summary

This paper addresses the challenge of modeling inter-civilizational interaction at cosmological scales by proposing CosmoAgent—a non-anthropocentric civilizational evolution simulation framework. Methodologically, it introduces the first multi-LLM agent architecture grounded in heterogeneous ethical frameworks, integrating multi-paradigm ethical prompting, a quantified civilizational development taxonomy, state-transition matrices, and asymmetric information game-theoretic simulation. Contributions include: (1) the first strategic reasoning system supporting non-anthropocentric value systems; (2) computationally tractable modeling and trajectory prediction of civilizational state transitions; and (3) empirical validation of heterogeneous-worldview agents in cooperative coordination, strategic interaction, and existential risk forecasting. The framework is open-sourced, establishing a novel paradigm for exocivilization sociology and long-termist AI governance.

Technology Category

• Multiagent Systems: Agent-Based Simulation and Emergent Behavior
• Philosophy and Ethics of AI: Artificial General Intelligence
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Agent Architectures

Application Category

• Semantics and Knowledge: Data modeling to support human-machine intelligence, including LLMs agents, intelligent system behavior, explanations, and user-friendly interactions
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Cost models of using LLMs in production systems
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Agentic search

Abstract

This study introduces"CosmoAgent,"an innovative artificial intelligence system that utilizes Large Language Models (LLMs) to simulate complex interactions between human and extraterrestrial civilizations. This paper introduces a mathematical model for quantifying the levels of civilization development and further employs a state transition matrix approach to evaluate their trajectories. Through this methodology, our study quantitatively analyzes the growth trajectories of civilizations, providing insights into future decision-making at critical points of growth and saturation. Furthermore, this paper acknowledges the vast diversity of potential living conditions across the universe, which could foster unique cosmologies, ethical codes, and worldviews among different civilizations. Recognizing the Earth-centric bias inherent in current LLM designs, we propose the novel concept of using LLM agents with diverse ethical paradigms and simulating interactions between entities with distinct moral principles. This innovative research not only introduces a novel method for comprehending potential inter-civilizational dynamics but also holds practical value in enabling entities with divergent value systems to strategize, prevent conflicts, and engage in games under conditions of asymmetric information. The accompanying code is available at https://github.com/MingyuJ666/Simulating-Alien-Civilizations-with-LLM-based-Agents.

Problem

• Large Language Models
• Intercivilizational Dynamics
• Cosmic Diversity

Innovation

• CosmoAgent
• Large Language Models
• Inter-civilizational Dynamics