The Organizational Physics of Multi-Agent AI: Substrate-Independent Dysfunction in Autonomous Software Engineering Swarms
Abstract
Empirical demonstration that organizational dysfunction is substrate-independent. Four coordination architectures built the same 7-service backend with identical LLM and $50 budget. Performance was inversely correlated with coordination complexity: 28/28, 18/28, 9/28, and 0/28. Anti-dysfunction mechanisms produced the exact dysfunction they were designed to prevent.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Complex Systems and Dynamics
Software Engineering Techniques and Practices
Advanced Software Engineering Methodologies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Publication date
- 1 March 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Preprint