A game-theoretic analysis of networked system control for common-pool resource management using multi-agent reinforcement learning

TL;DR

This paper uses game theory and multi-agent reinforcement learning to analyze how different information sharing structures affect the control and management of common-pool resources in networked systems.

Contribution

It introduces an empirical game-theoretic framework to compare the impact of various information and communication structures on multi-agent reinforcement learning for resource management.

Findings

Different information sharing protocols lead to distinct equilibrium behaviors.

Communication network topology influences resource management efficiency.

Design choices in information structures affect system robustness and fairness.

Abstract

Multi-agent reinforcement learning has recently shown great promise as an approach to networked system control. Arguably, one of the most difficult and important tasks for which large scale networked system control is applicable is common-pool resource management. Crucial common-pool resources include arable land, fresh water, wetlands, wildlife, fish stock, forests and the atmosphere, of which proper management is related to some of society's greatest challenges such as food security, inequality and climate change. Here we take inspiration from a recent research program investigating the game-theoretic incentives of humans in social dilemma situations such as the well-known tragedy of the commons. However, instead of focusing on biologically evolved human-like agents, our concern is rather to better understand the learning and operating behaviour of engineered networked systems comprising general-purpose reinforcement learning agents, subject only to nonbiological constraints such as memory, computation and communication bandwidth. Harnessing tools from empirical game-theoretic analysis, we analyse the differences in resulting solution concepts that stem from employing different information structures in the design of networked multi-agent systems. These information structures pertain to the type of information shared between agents as well as the employed communication protocol and network topology. Our analysis contributes new insights into the consequences associated with certain design choices and provides an additional dimension of comparison between systems beyond efficiency, robustness, scalability and mean control performance.