Adaptive agent negotiation via argumentation

Abstract

In this paper, we study how argumentation can be used as a basis for negotiation between autonomous agents, where negotiation strategies of the different parties are represented as argumentation theories within their knowledge. We propose an argumentation based negotiation protocol in which offers by the negotiating parties are linked to different arguments that they can build according to their individual negotiation strategy. This protocol is able to take into account the different roles of agents and context of interaction, where the strength of the arguments supporting an offer can depend on these factors. The agents can adapt their negotiation strategies and offers, as their environment changes, in particular during the course of the negotiation as they exchange information. In addition, using abduction alongside with argumentation, agents can find negotiating conditions to support an argument for an offer, thus extending the negotiation object in order to help find an agreement. To illustrate further the advantages of the approach we also study how we can capture and extend negotiation strategies within another negotiation mechanism, in particular the well-known mechanism of bargaining with multiple parties. This exposes further the main advantages of modularity and flexibility of our argumentation based representation of negotiation strategies and the adaptability that this offers in a changing environment of negotiation. Copyright 2006 ACM.