Computers and Markets: Exploring the Intersection of Computer Science, Microeconomics and Game Theory
by Kevin Leyton-Brown
Intelligent Systems (IS-2006) Keynote Practice Talk
This talk will provide an introduction to core concepts, fielded applications
and ongoing research from the field of multiagent systems. This growing
interdisciplinary research area brings together ideas from computer science,
microeconomics and game theory. Its focus is on tackling both computational and
incentive problems that arise when multiple self-interested agents interact.
The first part of the talk will examine ways in which game theory can be used to
model large-scale interactions such as computers routing packets through the
internet, businesses choosing new locations, and users sharing files through P2P
systems. Computational challenges arise when problems become large; we will
examine some new research into ways of overcoming these hurdles.
The second part of the talk will discuss some of the theoretical underpinnings
of modern electronic markets such as eBay, Google's ad auctions and the FCC's
multi-billion dollar sales of radio spectrum. These settings present a variety
of computational challenges, many of which arise when the amount a buyer would
be willing to pay for one good is linked to which other goods she will win.