Definition · architectures
multi-agent system
multi-agent system is a system in which two or more agents interact, cooperate, compete, or divide work. You can spot multi-agent system in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does multi-agent system matter?
Several agents can divide work or shape each other's choices. Their contact can also create new failure paths. For multi-agent system, start with three checks: Who chooses the next step? Where does state live between steps? Who owns recovery when a step fails? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does multi-agent system look like?
Buyer and seller agents bargain while a third agent checks the rules. This example makes multi-agent system visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is multi-agent system easy to confuse with?
A multi-agent system includes several agents in contact. An agent team is one form with set roles and a shared goal. The closest entries here are handoff, orchestration, autonomous validation. Compare their definitions with multi-agent system before using the names as if they mean the same thing.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term multi-agent system?
We have not verified who first introduced multi-agent system. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before multi-agent system?
Read agent workflow first when multi-agent system depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use multi-agent system to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- Who chooses the next step?
- Where does state live between steps?
- Who owns recovery when a step fails?
Which source supports this definition of multi-agent system?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of multi-agent system. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to multi-agent system; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundmulti-agent systemChecked 2026-07-12→