When Is Collective Intelligence a Lottery? Multi-Agent Scaling Laws for Memetic Drift in LLMs

Researchers introduce Quantized Simplex Gossip (QSG) model to explain how multi-agent LLM systems reach consensus through 'memetic drift' - where arbitrary choices compound into collective agreement. The study reveals scaling laws for when collective intelligence operates like a lottery versus amplifying weak biases, providing a framework for understanding AI system behavior in consequential decision-making.