Title: Peer-to-peer networks and collective intelligence: the case for agency

Authors: Richard Hill; Nick Antonopoulos; Stuart Berry

Addresses: Distributed and Intelligent Systems Research Group, University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB, UK ' Distributed and Intelligent Systems Research Group, University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB, UK ' School of Computing and Mathematics, University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB, UK

Abstract: The vast quantity of data contributed and consumed via the internet provides an environment where Collective Intelligence (CI) can emerge. This paper considers CI in relation to the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) paradigm, an environment that has the necessary conditions for the generation of large data sets through frequent peer interactions. We then examine the characteristics of agency and relate agent computing to the conditions required to facilitate CI in P2P systems. Furthermore, we present a key research challenge for the community and propose an approach to scrutinise CI in a P2P scenario that makes use of critical dimensions as a basis to classify the likely collective emergent behaviours.

Keywords: collective intelligence; peer-to-peer networks; P2P networks; agency; multi-agent systems; MAS; agent-based systems; utility computing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGUC.2012.051420

International Journal of Grid and Utility Computing, 2012 Vol.3 No.4, pp.233 - 241

Received: 19 Feb 2011
Accepted: 03 Aug 2011
Published online: 20 Dec 2014 *

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