Finite State Graphon Games with Applications to Epidemics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel game-theoretic framework for heterogeneous players on a finite state space, modeled via graphons, with applications to epidemiological models, providing theoretical analysis and numerical methods.

Contribution

It develops a rigorous mathematical framework for finite state graphon games, establishes existence of Nash equilibria, and proposes a machine learning-based numerical approach.

Findings

Established a sufficient condition for Nash equilibria.

Proved existence of solutions to coupled differential equations.

Demonstrated applications to epidemiological compartmental models.

Abstract

We consider a game for a continuum of non-identical players evolving on a finite state space. Their heterogeneous interactions are represented by a graphon, which can be viewed as the limit of a dense random graph. The player's transition rates between the states depend on their own control and the interaction strengths with the other players. We develop a rigorous mathematical framework for this game and analyze Nash equilibria. We provide a sufficient condition for a Nash equilibrium and prove existence of solutions to a continuum of fully coupled forward-backward ordinary differential equations characterizing equilibria. Moreover, we propose a numerical approach based on machine learning tools and show experimental results on different applications to compartmental models in epidemiology.