Evolutionary Computing in Multi-agent Environments: Operators

摘要

This aper examines a key aspect of applying evolutionary computing techniques to multi-agent systems: a comparison in the performance of the genetic operators of mutation and recombination. Using the tuneable NKC model of multi-agent evolution it is shown that the benefits of simple recombination and mutation vary depending on the type of system, with bit mutation capable of doing as well as recombination in systems with significant inter-agent epistasis. The effects of fitness sharing between the interacting individuals are then examined and it is shown that mutation can do as well as, or better than, recombination even under low inter-agent epistasis; fitness sharing is shown to alter the characteristics of the coevoving system.