Multi-Agent Knowledge Allocation

Classical query answering either assumes the existence of just one knowledge requester, or knowledge requests from distinct parties are treated independently. Yet, this assumption is inappropriate in practical applications where requesters are in direct competition for knowledge. We provide a formal model for such scenarios by proposing the Multi-Agent Knowledge Allocation (MAKA) setting which combines the fields of query answering in information systems and multi-agent resource allocation.We define a bidding language based on exclusivityannotated conjunctive queries and succinctly translate the allocation problem into a graph structure which allows for employing network-flow-based constraint solving techniques for optimal allocation.