mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

What if LLMs Have Different World Views: Simulating Alien Civilizations with LLM-based Agents

arXiv 2402.13184 ↗First posted 20 Feb 2024cs.CLcited by 12

On the map: LLM agents and tool use → Social simulation and multi-agent debate

Abstract (arXiv)

This study introduces "CosmoAgent," an innovative artificial intelligence system that utilizes Large Language Models (LLMs) to simulate complex interactions between human and extraterrestrial civilizations. This paper introduces a mathematical model for quantifying the levels of civilization development and further employs a state transition matrix approach to evaluate their trajectories. Through this methodology, our study quantitatively analyzes the growth trajectories of civilizations, providing insights into future decision-making at critical points of growth and saturation. Furthermore, this paper acknowledges the vast diversity of potential living conditions across the universe, which could foster unique cosmologies, ethical codes, and worldviews among different civilizations. Recognizing the Earth-centric bias inherent in current LLM designs, we propose the novel concept of using LLM agents with diverse ethical paradigms and simulating interactions between entities with distinct moral principles. This innovative research not only introduces a novel method for comprehending potential inter-civilizational dynamics but also holds practical value in enabling entities with divergent value systems to strategize, prevent conflicts, and engage in games under conditions of asymmetric information. The accompanying code is available at https://github.com/MingyuJ666/Simulating-Alien-Civilizations-with-LLM-based-Agents.

Key facts. Cited by 12 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Placed in Social simulation and multi-agent debate, one of 16 directions in LLM agents and tool use. Builds on 13 of its 47 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 20 Feb 2024.

Builds on

13 of 47 references.

Closest ancestors · 2

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2023War and Peace (WarAgent): Large Language Model-based Multi-Agent Simulation of World Wars28 Nov
  2. 2023Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behavior7 Apr

Other references · 11

  1. 2020Language Models are Few-Shot Learnerscited by 32,199
  2. 2022Chain-of-Thought Prompting Elicits Reasoning in Large Language Modelscited by 12,302
  3. 2022Large Language Models are Zero-Shot Reasonerscited by 4,323
  4. 2023Improving Factuality and Reasoning in Language Models through Multiagent Debatecited by 1,739
  5. 2023The Rise and Potential of Large Language Model Based Agents: A Surveycited by 1,422
  6. 2023CAMEL: Communicative Agents for "Mind" Exploration of Large Language Model Societycited by 1,348
  7. 2023ChatEval: Towards Better LLM-based Evaluators through Multi-Agent Debatecited by 724
  8. 2023Multi-Agent Collaboration: Harnessing the Power of Intelligent LLM Agentscited by 329
  9. 2024The Impact of Reasoning Step Length on Large Language Modelscited by 152
  10. 2023Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: Evaluating Strategic Planning and Execution of LLM Agents in an Auction Arenacited by 78
  11. 2023Lyfe Agents: Generative agents for low-cost real-time social interactionscited by 49

Built on by

Cited by year (2026 to 7 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2024: 6; 2025: 5; 2026: 1.

12 papers.

Similar, not cited

Close in wording, no citation either way

  1. 2025Investigating and Extending Homans' Social Exchange Theory with Large Language Model based Agents
  2. 2024Cooperate or Collapse: Emergence of Sustainable Cooperation in a Society of LLM Agents
  3. 2025Static Sandboxes Are Inadequate: Modeling Societal Complexity Requires Open-Ended Co-Evolution in LLM-Based Multi-Agent Simulations
  4. 2024Computational Experiments Meet Large Language Model Based Agents: A Survey and Perspective
  5. 2026Poor Man's Agentic Modeling: Simulating Large LLM-Agent Societies on a Laptop
  6. 2025Beyond Static Responses: Multi-Agent LLM Systems as a New Paradigm for Social Science Research
  7. 2025Modeling Earth-Scale Human-Like Societies with One Billion Agents
  8. 2025Towards Scientific Intelligence: A Survey of LLM-based Scientific Agents