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

TL;DR

A plane-based reference architecture that decouples connectivity/identity, semantic discovery, and execution and introduces signed, soft-state capability descriptors to support intent- and constraint-aware discovery is proposed.

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.

Figures (5)

• Figure 1: The paradigm shift in P2P networks. Classic P2P (Left) focuses on the deterministic retrieval of static content (files) using hash-based lookups. Verification is simple integrity checking. Agentic P2P (Right) focuses on the semantic discovery of autonomous agents (i.e., CSAAs) capable of executing dynamic workflows. Verification requires evidence (e.g., receipts) and risk assessment, as actions have side effects and vary by context.
• Figure 2: Reference architecture for Agentic P2P networks. The system is organized into three horizontal planes---Connectivity (underlay), Semantic Discovery (routing), and Execution (application)---which manage the task lifecycle. A vertical, cross-cutting Trust & Verification Plane enforces identity, policy, and auditability across all layers, enabling secure collaboration across heterogeneous agent implementations.
• Figure 3: Multi-dimensional QoS and trust vectors for capability discovery. A signed CD is mapped to (i) a QoS profile and (ii) a trust/reputation profile, enabling Pareto-style candidate selection and risk-aware verification.
• Figure 4: The Trust Establishment Funnel. The process filters candidates through negotiation and tiered verification before execution. Post-execution evidence feeds back into the reputation system for future selection.
• Figure 5: Performance evaluation results for the decentralized creative publishing workflow. (a) Robustness: Risk-Aware selection (Tier 2 canary + fallback) sustains higher task/workflow success under Sybil-style index poisoning, compared to No Verify. (b) Scalability & overhead: Latency denotes registry discovery latency (ms), which remains approximately constant (with controlled variance) as $N$ grows, while Overhead denotes control-plane message rate (msgs/s) dominated by soft-state CD maintenance. (c) Impact of drift: Stable disables drift, whereas High Drift enables drift ($\lambda_{\mathrm{drift}}{=}0.05$, $p_{\mathrm{stale}}{=}0.6$); varying CD TTL reveals a reliability--overhead trade-off and a practical knee point (dashed line) around TTL$\approx$15 s.