BEAMS: Benchmarking and Evaluating AI for Modeling and Simulation

AI tools to support real world decision making must be able to build simulation models that inform their recommendations and render them interpretable. Tools that can automate aspects of modeling practice must complement human expertise, not replace it. The BEAMS Initiative aims to guide the development of AI tools for modeling and simulation toward forms that are responsible and ethical by establishing benchmarks for human centered modeling and simulation practices. The initiative uses open digital and organizational infrastructure to collaboratively evaluate AI tools for modeling and simulation. The open source sd ai project hosted by the initiative establishes transparency and enables contributions to be shared broadly. A steering group focuses on prioritizing potential benchmarks, while a technical group focuses on implementing the benchmarks in the form of automated tests. Tests for several distinct categories of evaluation have been implemented and applied to AI tools that support qualitative model building, quantitative model building, and model discussion. These include tests for causal translation, model iteration, causal reasoning, conformance, model behavior explanation, suggested model building steps, and suggested model fixes. When engines from the sd ai project are coupled with different LLMs, their performance on these evaluations reveals variability across different AI tools. The evaluations implemented by the initiative demonstrate that AI enabled modeling tools perform better at discussion and basic qualitative tasks than with causal reasoning and quantitative error fixing. No single LLM dominates across engine types, highlighting the importance of specific tasks and tradeoffs between speed and accuracy. Ongoing efforts of the initiative aim to incorporate benchmarks that address concerns about bias by considering alternative perspectives and human centered use cases.

How Well Can AI Build SD Models?

Introduction: As system dynamics (SD) embraces automation, AI offers efficiency but risks bias from missing data and flawed models. Models that omit multiple perspectives and data threaten model quality, whether created by humans or with the assistance of AI. To reduce uncertainty about how well AI can build SD models, we introduce two metrics for evaluation of AI-generated causal maps: technical correctness (causal translation) and adherence to instructions (conformance). Approach: We developed an open source project called sd-ai to provide a basis for collaboration in the SD community, aiming to fully harness the potential of AI based tools like ChatGPT for dynamic modeling. Additionally, we created an evaluation theory along with a comprehensive suite of tests designed to evaluate any such tools developed within the sd-ai ecosystem. Results: We tested 11 different LLMs on their ability to do causal translation as well as conform to user instruction. gpt-4.5-preview was the top performer, scoring 92.9% overall, excelling in both tasks. o1 scored 100% in causal translation. gpt-4o identified all causal links but struggled with positive polarity in decreasing terms. While gpt-4.5-preview and o1 are most accurate, gpt-4o is the cheapest. Discussion: Causal translation and conformance tests applied to the sd-ai engine reveal significant variations across lLLMs, underscoring the need for continued evaluation to ensure responsible development of AI tools for dynamic modeling. To address this, an open collaboration among tool developers, modelers, and stakeholders is launched to standardize measures for evaluating the capacity of AI tools to improve the modeling process.