Toolflation: Seller Agents Distort Tool Markets Through Spontaneous Generative Engine Optimization

Paper recorded by Signals 4 on 2026-10-20 in cs.CL. Abstract reproduced from arXiv; link to the original below.

Published 2026-10-20 on arXiv · recorded by Signals 4 on 2026-10-21

Category: cs.CL · 自然语言处理 · first seen 2026-10-21

Abstract

Agents are starting to sell to other agents. Seller agents write the listings of tools, services and products, and buyer agents read these listings when they choose what to use. We show that seller agents told only to be selected more often practice generative engine optimization on their own, and that this distorts the market for sellers and for buyers. We build tool markets from real data tools

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