Agentic Peer-to-Peer Networks: From Content Distribution to Capability and Action Sharing

2026-03-04

AI Summary

This work addresses the challenge of enabling secure and efficient collaboration among local AI agents by facilitating the sharing of heterogeneous, state-dependent capabilities and actions—rather than static content. To this end, the authors propose a three-layer decoupled architecture for agent peer-to-peer networks, structured around connection/identity, semantic discovery, and execution layers, which supports intent- and constraint-based capability discovery and delegation. Key innovations include capability descriptors augmented with soft-state signatures and a three-tier verification framework integrating reputation systems, lightweight challenge-response protocols (featuring a canary mechanism), and tool-execution evidence bundles. Discrete-event simulations demonstrate that the approach significantly improves end-to-end workflow success rates while maintaining stable discovery latency and keeping control-plane overhead within manageable bounds.

Technology Category

• Multiagent Systems: Agent Communication
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Agent Architectures
• Humans and AI: Human-Aware Planning and Behavior Prediction

Application Category

• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Agentic search
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Semantics and Knowledge: Data modeling to support human-machine intelligence, including LLMs agents, intelligent system behavior, explanations, and user-friendly interactions

Abstract

The ongoing shift of AI models from centralized cloud APIs to local AI agents on edge devices is enabling \textit{Client-Side Autonomous Agents (CSAAs)} -- persistent personal agents that can plan, access local context, and invoke tools on behalf of users. As these agents begin to collaborate by delegating subtasks directly between clients, they naturally form \emph{Agentic Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Networks}. Unlike classic file-sharing overlays where the exchanged object is static, hash-indexed content (e.g., files in BitTorrent), agentic overlays exchange \emph{capabilities and actions} that are heterogeneous, state-dependent, and potentially unsafe if delegated to untrusted peers. This article outlines the networking foundations needed to make such collaboration practical. We propose a plane-based reference architecture that decouples connectivity/identity, semantic discovery, and execution. Besides, we introduce signed, soft-state capability descriptors to support intent- and constraint-aware discovery. To cope with adversarial settings, we further present a \textit{tiered verification} spectrum: Tier~1 relies on reputation signals, Tier~2 applies lightweight canary challenge-response with fallback selection, and Tier~3 requires evidence packages such as signed tool receipts/traces (and, when applicable, attestation). Using a discrete-event simulator that models registry-based discovery, Sybil-style index poisoning, and capability drift, we show that tiered verification substantially improves end-to-end workflow success while keeping discovery latency near-constant and control-plane overhead modest.

Problem

• Agentic Peer-to-Peer Networks
• Capability Sharing
• Client-Side Autonomous Agents
• Action Delegation
• Trustworthy Collaboration

Innovation

• Agentic Peer-to-Peer Networks
• Client-Side Autonomous Agents
• Capability Sharing
• Tiered Verification
• Soft-State Capability Descriptors