Consensus in Multi-Agent Systems
Master decision-making strategies when agents disagree
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Voting is the most democratic approach to consensus. Each agent casts a vote, and a decision rule determines the outcome. Different voting methods have different trade-offs between speed, accuracy, and fairness.
Four Common Voting Methods
1.
Majority (>50%): Winner needs more than half of all votes
2.
Plurality (Most): Winner is option with most votes, even if under 50%
3.
Unanimous (100%): All agents must agree for decision to pass
4.
Threshold (e.g., 70%): Winner needs specific percentage to win
Interactive: Voting Simulator
Cast votes from 10 agents and see how different voting methods produce different outcomes from the same votes.
CAST VOTES (10 agents total)
Option A: Approach 1
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Option B: Approach 2
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Option C: Approach 3
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10 votes remaining
Method Comparison
| Method | Speed | Consensus Quality | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority | Fast ⚡ | High confidence | General decisions |
| Plurality | Fastest ⚡⚡ | Lower confidence | Multi-option choices |
| Unanimous | Slowest 🐌 | Highest quality | Critical decisions |
| Threshold | Medium ⏱️ | Balanced | Important decisions |
💡 Key Insight
There's a fundamental trade-off between speed and consensus quality. Plurality is fast but may not represent true majority preference. Unanimous voting ensures everyone agrees but can be blocked by a single dissenting agent. Most systems use majority or threshold voting as a pragmatic middle ground.