PoliSim@CHI 2026 | LLM Agent Simulation for Policy

Overview

Large Language Models have rapidly advanced from powerful text generators to versatile reasoning systems that can act as autonomous agents. When deployed in social settings, these agents exhibit emergent phenomena such as coalition formation, information diffusion, and collective decision-making.

Policy decisions are inherently collective, consequential, and made under uncertainty. Unlike laboratory science, policymaking rarely affords controlled trials. LLM agent simulations offer in silico testbeds where policymakers could experiment with interventions, stress-test communication strategies, and anticipate unintended consequences at scale across diverse populations.

Drawing on HCI traditions such as participatory and user-centered design, we argue that the usefulness of LLM agent simulations emerges through iterative, stakeholder-engaged design, as policymakers build trust, discover system limits, and recalibrate expectations.

Guiding Questions

Usefulness

How can LLM agent simulations move beyond technical demonstrations to become practical tools for policymaking?

Responsible Use

How can simulations be designed and interpreted responsibly, ensuring appropriate reliance, transparency, and fairness?

Co-evolution

How can simulations and policy processes be developed simultaneously, so that each informs and adapts to the other?

Call for Participation

We invite position papers (2–4 pages) or short reports describing case studies, design explorations, methodological insights, or reflections on using LLM agent simulation for policy. Encore submissions of relevant published work are welcome.

Topics of Interest

LLM agent simulations for public health, climate adaptation, education reform, and other policy domains
Institutional and organizational policy applications (emergency preparedness, online community management)
Methodological innovations in memory architectures, environment embedding, and agent heterogeneity
Responsible AI considerations for policy simulations
Participatory and user-centered design approaches for simulation tools
Case studies of policy-simulation co-development
Evaluation frameworks for policy-relevant simulations

Submission Format

2–4 page position papers or short reports following the ACM template. Papers will be reviewed for relevance and diversity of perspectives.

Publication

All accepted papers will be published on the workshop website and in the proceedings with CEUR-WS. Selected authors will be invited to extend their work for established venues.