Multiplayer conflict avoidance through entangled quantum walks
Quantum computing has the potential to solve complex problems faster and more efficiently than classical computing. It can achieve speedups by leveraging quantum phenomena like superposition, entanglement, and tunneling. Quantum walks (QWs) form the foundation for many quantum algorithms. Unlike classical random walks, QWs exhibit quantum interference, leading to unique behaviors such as linear spreading and localization. These properties make QWs valuable for various applications, including universal computation, time series prediction, encryption, and quantum hash functions. One emerging application of QWs is decision-making. Previous research has used QWs to model human decision processes and solve multiarmed bandit problems. This paper extends QWs to collective decision-making, focusing on minimizing decision conflicts, cases where multiple agents choose the same option, leading to inefficiencies like traffic congestion or overloaded servers. Prior research using quantum interference has addressed two-player conflict avoidance but struggled with three-player scenarios. This paper proposes a method using QWs to entirely eliminate decision conflicts in three-player cases, demonstrating its effectiveness in collective decision-making.
Authors
- Karl J. Friston
Institutions
- Yokohama National University (JP)
- Saitama University (JP)
- The University of Tokyo (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Physical review. A/Physical review, A
- Published
- 2025-11-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1103/zxx8-j2d4
- Primary Topic
- Quantum Computing Algorithms and Architecture
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00