HCC: Protocols for Negotiating Complex Contracts

本项目研究具有更具挑战性的效用函数的复杂合同的有效协议，包括更高的顺序相关性，以及多边谈判。约束满足技术，以及非线性优化技术，如模拟退火法、禁忌搜索和进化算法，是社会有益的说真话行为谈判机制的基础，并且是帕累托最优的。该项目使用计算机模拟和真实世界的测试案例来开发适合于非线性效用函数的新的分析技术。实现快速有效的复杂合同谈判的技术可能会在从电子商务到协作设计到制定法律和国际条约等领域对社会福利产生影响。虽然这里的重点是至少部分自动化谈判过程，但最优激励兼容协议的开发也应该经常适用于人类代理的情况。这项拟议的工作将为包括许多少数族裔在内的麻省理工学院的学生提供机会，让他们作为研究助理参与一个具有挑战性的多学科研究项目。

This project investigates efficient protocols for complex contracts with more challenging utility functions, including higher order dependencies, and for multilateral negotiations. Constraint-satisfaction techniques, as well as nonlinear optimization techniques such as simulated annealing, Tabu search, and evolutionary algorithms, are the basis for negotiation mechanisms for socially beneficial truth-telling behavior and are pareto-optimal. The project uses computer simulations as well as real-world test cases to develop novel analytic techniques suited to nonlinear utility functions.Techniques to enable fast and effective complex contract negotiations have the potential for impact on social welfare in domains that range from electronic commerce to collaborative design to the creation of laws and international treaties. While the focus here is on at least partially automating the negotiation process, the development of optimal incentive compatible protocols should also often be applicable in contexts with human agents. The proposed work will provide opportunities for students at MIT, which include many minorities, to participate as research assistants in a challenging multi-disciplinary research project.