The Player of Games
by Iain M. Banks · 1988
Buy on AmazonThe Culture - a human/machine symbiotic society - has thrown up many great Game Players, and one of the greatest is Gurgeh. Jernau Morat Gurgeh. The Player of Games. Master of every board, computer, and strategy. Bored with success, Gurgeh travels to the Empire of Azad, cruel and incredibly wealthy, to try their fabulous game ... a game so complex, so like life itself, that the winner becomes emperor. Mocked, blackmailed, almost murdered, Gurgeh accepts the game, and with it the challenge of his life - a very possibly his death.
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"This sci-fi novel, exploring a society run by an AI through complex games, aligns with Mark Zuckerberg's work on AI and interest in systems that govern human interaction. It's an expected read for someone exploring the societal implications of advanced technology."
A Year of Books (2015) · en.wikipedia.org
"This sci-fi novel, centered on an advanced AI civilization and a protagonist who masters complex games, fits Lex Fridman's interest in artificial intelligence, strategy, and the philosophical implications of advanced technology."
Lex Fridman's Reading List · lexfridman.com