www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
PNAS continues to have low standards as to title hype

Do Large Language Models Solve the Problems of Agent-Based Modeling? A Critical Review of Generative Social Simulations Recent advancements in AI have reinvigorated Agent-Based Models (ABMs), as the integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) has led to the emergence of ``generative ABMs'' as a novel approach to simula...

Large Language Model-based social simulation has emerged as an exciting new research method.

But do LLMs actually resolve the problems that have historically limited use of Agent-Based Models? What do they bring?

We review the literature to find out!

with Maik Laaroij
arxiv.org/abs/2504.03274

It seems that PNAS is particularly prone to over dramatic titles

www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...

In a model.

From a post by @networkspapers.bsky.social

In a model. journals.aps.org/prresearch/a...

In a model. www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...

A classic example of language that does not distinguish between what is true in a model and in reality. This paper has had huge circulation among narrow nationalists (e.g. in Russia). The authors of this (otherwise fine) paper did not intend this. jasss.soc.surrey.ac.uk/16/3/7.html

Preventing extreme polarization of political attitudes ... *in a model*. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Delusional Generality – how models can give a false impression of their applicability even when they lack any empirical foundation By Bruce Edmonds1, Dino Carpentras2, Nick Roxburgh3, Edmund Chattoe-Brown4 and Gary Polhill3 Centre for Policy Modelling, Manchester Metropolitan University Computational Social Science, ETH Zurich…

For the philosophy/methodological discussion behind the posts of this account, see rofasss.org/2024/05/06/d... rofasss.org/2022/02/28/p... and rofasss.org/2020/05/22/m...

"Risk aversion can promote cooperation" IN A MODEL iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...

Delusional Generality – how models can give a false impression of their applicability even when they lack any empirical foundation By Bruce Edmonds1, Dino Carpentras2, Nick Roxburgh3, Edmund Chattoe-Brown4 and Gary Polhill3 Centre for Policy Modelling, Manchester Metropolitan University Computational Social Science, ETH Zurich…

For the philosophy/methodological discussion behind the posts of this account, see rofasss.org/2024/05/06/d... rofasss.org/2022/02/28/p... and rofasss.org/2020/05/22/m...

"Weak individual preferences stabilize culture IN A MODEL" www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Just created one - this account, because this has been also bugging me. Bruce Edmonds