Decentralized AI through controlled emergence research
Decentralized Artificial Intelligence through Controlled Emergence (DICE), Solicitation 1d0790fde85c41a49b59d835f996a6f5, issued by Federal (Virginia offices).
At a glance
DARPA is seeking research proposals on decentralized artificial intelligence systems that operate through controlled emergence mechanisms. This is a research and development solicitation for innovative AI approaches, with submissions due August 25, 2026.
Key facts
- Issuing agency
- Federal (Virginia offices)
- Solicitation number
- 1d0790fde85c41a49b59d835f996a6f5
- Type
- Solicitation
- Posted
- Jul 14, 2026
- Response deadline
- Aug 25, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT
- Place of performance
- VA
Official description
The DICE program seeks to develop the theory and algorithms for decentralized coordination and local inference control to enable a scalable, adaptive, and resilient collective of heterogeneous AI agents that can autonomously execute sustained long-time-horizon missions in contested environments while remaining under human control. In contrast to small-scale, rigid, and fragile centralized orchestration or the high-risk unpredictable nature of ad hoc compositions of AI agents, DICE aims to harness the scalability and adaptability of self-organizing systems while minimizing risks and ensuring that the collective behavior remains predictable and aligned with intended outcomes. This approach mirrors the principles of decentralized self-organization that underpin the internet's own scalability and resilience, where robust global behavior emerges from simple, local rules.
Solicitation #HR001126S0010. Issued by DEPT OF DEFENSE › DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY (DARPA) › DEF ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGCY. NAICS 541715. Product/Service Code AC11.
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