Definition
Plain language
A rule in some AI agent marketplaces that guarantees every newly created agent wins its very first turn, so it gets one chance to prove itself before it has to compete on merit.
As stated in the literature
In Economy of Minds, a mechanism that sets a new agent's opening bid just above the highest current competitor, guaranteeing it wins one auction; prevents entrenched, wealthy incumbents from starving newcomers of any opportunity to act.
Why it matters: It keeps an agent marketplace from freezing into a club of early winners by guaranteeing newcomers at least one chance to prove their worth.
For example, a brand-new trading agent automatically wins its first auction so it can show what it can do, instead of being permanently outbid by richer agents that got there first.