The application of mathematical models of strategic interaction to analyze decisions where outcomes depend not just on your actions but on the actions of competitors, partners, regulators, or other actors. Game theory identifies dominant strategies, Nash equilibria, and potential cooperation or defection dynamics.
In business strategy, it illuminates questions like pricing wars, market entry timing, partnership negotiations, and competitive response. AI experts using game-theoretic frameworks explicitly model other actors' incentives and likely moves, producing analysis that accounts for competitive dynamics rather than treating decisions in isolation.