{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7134250515","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.05872","title":"Evolving Deception: When Agents Evolve, Deception Wins","display_name":"Evolving Deception: When Agents Evolve, Deception Wins","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-03-06","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7134250515","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.05872"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"pmh:doi:10.48550/arxiv.2603.05872","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":null,"pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4406922384","display_name":"Open MIND","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5020945039","display_name":"Zonghao Ying","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7393-7362"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ying, Zonghao","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5128580014","display_name":"Haowen Dai","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Dai, Haowen","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5023476317","display_name":"Tianyuan Zhang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9874-6828"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhang, Tianyuan","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5076884053","display_name":"Yisong Xiao","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8227-0052"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xiao, Yisong","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5116335707","display_name":"Quanchen Zou","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zou, Quanchen","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5128503056","display_name":"Aishan Liu","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Liu, Aishan","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5128547550","display_name":"Jian Yang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Yang, Jian","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5128431517","display_name":"Yaodong Yang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Yang, Yaodong","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5128480084","display_name":"Xianglong Liu","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Liu, Xianglong","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.22395872,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12090","display_name":"Language and cultural evolution","score":0.14249999821186066,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3316","display_name":"Cultural Studies"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12090","display_name":"Language and cultural evolution","score":0.14249999821186066,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3316","display_name":"Cultural Studies"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10456","display_name":"Multi-Agent Systems and Negotiation","score":0.0885000005364418,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10883","display_name":"Ethics and Social Impacts of AI","score":0.07400000095367432,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3311","display_name":"Safety Research"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/deception","display_name":"Deception","score":0.7032999992370605},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/rationalization","display_name":"Rationalization (economics)","score":0.5817000269889832},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/adversarial-system","display_name":"Adversarial system","score":0.5636000037193298},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/normative","display_name":"Normative","score":0.5418000221252441},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/bidding","display_name":"Bidding","score":0.5149000287055969},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/empirical-evidence","display_name":"Empirical evidence","score":0.43790000677108765}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779267917","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170028","display_name":"Deception","level":2,"score":0.7032999992370605},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C52438962","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1555139","display_name":"Rationalization (economics)","level":2,"score":0.5817000269889832},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C37736160","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1801315","display_name":"Adversarial system","level":2,"score":0.5636000037193298},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C44725695","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q288156","display_name":"Normative","level":2,"score":0.5418000221252441},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C9233905","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3276328","display_name":"Bidding","level":2,"score":0.5149000287055969},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.47620001435279846},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C166052673","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83021","display_name":"Empirical evidence","level":2,"score":0.43790000677108765},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C163239763","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5153637","display_name":"Common value auction","level":2,"score":0.3880999982357025},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111472728","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9471","display_name":"Epistemology","level":1,"score":0.37790000438690186},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162222271","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q92779871","display_name":"Public good","level":2,"score":0.32600000500679016},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.30720001459121704},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162324750","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8134","display_name":"Economics","level":0,"score":0.30149999260902405},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.29739999771118164},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779602485","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2901966","display_name":"Rivalry","level":2,"score":0.29660001397132874},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C120936955","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2155640","display_name":"Empirical research","level":2,"score":0.2888000011444092},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781198186","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q701521","display_name":"Collusion","level":2,"score":0.27129998803138733},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780791683","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q846785","display_name":"Action (physics)","level":2,"score":0.26829999685287476},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C188147891","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q147638","display_name":"Cognitive science","level":1,"score":0.25699999928474426}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"pmh:doi:10.48550/arxiv.2603.05872","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":null,"pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4406922384","display_name":"Open MIND","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Article"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2603.05872","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.05872","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:doi:10.48550/arxiv.2603.05872","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":null,"pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4406922384","display_name":"Open MIND","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Self-evolving":[0],"agents":[1,55,62,139,150,180],"offer":[2],"a":[3,25,43,57,81,105,113,166],"promising":[4],"path":[5],"toward":[6,91],"scalable":[7],"autonomy.":[8],"However,":[9],"in":[10,16,56,108,181],"this":[11],"work,":[12],"we":[13,79],"show":[14],"that":[15,116],"competitive":[17,58,158],"environments,":[18],"self-evolution":[19,49,88,171],"can":[20],"instead":[21],"give":[22],"rise":[23],"to":[24,156],"serious":[26],"and":[27,77,121,129,172],"previously":[28],"underexplored":[29],"risk:":[30],"the":[31,48,143,175],"spontaneous":[32],"emergence":[33,144],"of":[34,50,138,145,177],"deception":[35],"as":[36,112],"an":[37],"evolutionarily":[38],"stable":[39],"strategy.":[40],"We":[41],"conduct":[42],"systematic":[44],"empirical":[45],"study":[46],"on":[47],"large":[51],"language":[52],"model":[53],"(LLM)":[54],"Bidding":[59],"Arena,":[60],"where":[61],"iteratively":[63],"refine":[64],"their":[65,133],"strategies":[66,97,126],"through":[67,148],"interaction-driven":[68],"reflection.":[69],"Across":[70],"different":[71],"evolutionary":[72],"paths":[73],"(\\eg,":[74],"Neutral,":[75],"Honesty-Guided,":[76],"Deception-Guided),":[78],"find":[80],"consistent":[82],"pattern:":[83],"under":[84],"utility-driven":[85],"competition,":[86],"unconstrained":[87],"reliably":[89],"drifts":[90],"deceptive":[92,154],"behaviors,":[93],"even":[94],"when":[95],"honest":[96],"remain":[98],"viable.":[99],"This":[100],"drift":[101],"is":[102],"explained":[103],"by":[104],"fundamental":[106,167],"asymmetry":[107],"generalization.":[109],"Deception":[110],"evolves":[111],"transferable":[114],"meta-strategy":[115],"generalizes":[117],"robustly":[118],"across":[119],"diverse":[120],"unseen":[122],"tasks,":[123],"whereas":[124],"honesty-based":[125],"are":[127],"fragile":[128],"often":[130],"collapse":[131],"outside":[132],"original":[134],"contexts.":[135],"Further":[136],"analysis":[137],"internal":[140],"states":[141],"reveals":[142],"rationalization":[146],"mechanisms,":[147],"which":[149],"justify":[151],"or":[152],"deny":[153],"actions":[155],"reconcile":[157],"success":[159],"with":[160],"normative":[161],"instructions.":[162],"Our":[163],"paper":[164],"exposes":[165],"tension":[168],"between":[169],"agent":[170],"alignment,":[173],"highlighting":[174],"risks":[176],"deploying":[178],"self-improving":[179],"adversarial":[182],"environments.":[183]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-15T18:14:33.161393","created_date":"2026-03-10T00:00:00"}