The Game-Theoretic Symbiosis of Trust and AI in Networked Systems

This chapter explores the symbiotic relationship between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and trust in networked systems, focusing on how these two elements reinforce each other in strategic cybersecurity contexts. Using a game-theoretic framework, this chapter presents approaches to trust evaluation, the strategic role of AI in cybersecurity, and governance frameworks that ensure responsible AI deployment. We investigate how trust, when dynamically managed through AI, can form a resilient security ecosystem. By examining trust as both an AI output and an AI requirement, this chapter sets the foundation for a positive feedback loop where AI enhances network security and the trust placed in AI systems fosters their adoption. The rapid development of network systems has been a catalyst for innovations such as 5G communications, edge computing, and network slicing [6], driving the transformation of Industry 4.0 [18] and introducing new services for critical infrastructures.