Argumentation-based negotiation? Negotiation-based argumentation!

Abstract

We design a protocol for two autonomous negotiating agents to incorporate Dung-style argumentation into an ongoing bargaining dialogue. Previous approaches considered bargaining and Dung-Style Argumentation as separated components, we show that intertwining these approaches increases the agents scope of action. In our framework the acceptance of an argument or attack uttered by self-interested agents is conditional on the acceptance by the negotiating partner. Our protocol thus enables autonomous agents to engage in a variety of human negotiation behaviours and thereby increase the agents capabilities to come to mutually satisfactory agreements. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.