University of Windsor engineering professor Rupp Carriveau is leading a $250,000 research project exploring how negotiation software—infused with Indigenous wisdom—could revolutionize everything from energy sales to international treaties. (ANGELA KHARBOUTLI/University of Windsor)
By Sarah Hébert
Negotiations—whether in sales, contracts or international treaties—have historically been limited by time, energy, and human bias. But what if software could execute multiple negotiations in seconds, without prioritizing one party’s interests over another’s?
That’s the question Rupp Carriveau is tackling in his latest study, “Robots Negotiating for Power and for Peace,” which recently secured $250,000 in New Frontiers in Research Funding.
This research aims to develop intuitive software capable of handling simple to complex negotiations—including distributive, integrative, multiparty, team-based, positional, and interest-based scenarios, even in crisis or virtual settings—with the goal of achieving fair, unbiased outcomes that maximize mutual benefit and adapt to diverse negotiation contexts. All while embedding Indigenous teachings and principles into its core design.
Carriveau’s idea stemmed from his work with local wind farms, where he began questioning the negotiation process.
“Wind energy is unique. As it ages, the assets are still highly functional, but they’ve been paid off,” he explains.
“Now you have this nimble, clean, low-water-footprint, low-carbon-footprint power source where the fuel is free.”
While most of the power currently flows to Toronto, Carriveau notes there is also demand in Windsor-Essex greenhouses.
“What if these farms sell wind power locally and to Toronto? That’s two markets. The question then becomes: how do they get the best price?”
Using real sales data from local wind farms, Carriveau developed a prototype negotiation tool.
The simulation showed that both buyers and sellers were able to conduct more effective negotiations with assistance from the software — or, as referred to in his research, “robots” acting as negotiating agents.
But Carriveau didn’t stop there.
He noted that traditional negotiations, while essential, can be lengthy and affected by human constraints such as fatigue and bias.
“The goal isn’t to replace negotiation teams, but to augment their process by eliminating some of the friction points, making space for more focused, human-centered dialogue,” he said.
“The software won’t be perfect, but it could help both sides move toward mutually agreeable outcomes more quickly—especially in the early stages."
Another advantage is the ability to build “living agreements,” allowing contracts to adapt in real time.
“Most agreements are static and quickly become outdated. Our tool could allow for micro-adjustments, making an enduring overall agreement more likely.”
Understanding the value of Indigenous knowledge, Carriveau is working to implement this wisdom into the software with the support of Bob Watts — an expert in Indigenous policy, negotiations, training, and conflict resolution, and an adjunct professor at Queen’s University.
“I want to take the enduring qualities of Indigenous wisdom and teachings and embed them into the robots to hopefully yield longer-lasting agreements,” he shared.
Carriveau has also teamed up with applied mathematician Matt Davison of Western University to explore how Indigenous principles could be translated into mathematical models for use in the system.
“We are building a team with very specific skills and expertise to bring this project to life,” said Carriveau.
Preliminary research has been submitted to the upcoming North American Wind Energy Academy Conference, and proof-of-concept code has already been developed for faculty negotiations and even international treaty simulations.
Next step: comparing robot-led negotiations to traditional human methods.
“These robots could radically change how we structure contracts and negotiations in the future,” said Carriveau.
While he acknowledges skepticism, he believes everyday applications could prove beneficial.
“Maybe one day, these robots can be used for something as simple as purchasing paper towels,” he laughs.
“Do you really want to spend time and energy negotiating the best price on paper towels? Let the robot negotiate with the suppliers to get the best deal.”
From energy agreements to everyday purchasing decisions, Carriveau’s research could reshape how we negotiate. While there is still a long way to go, the potential to save time, money, and frustration is undeniable.