The benefits derived from using generative AI are enormous, and the risks are substantial. We must know the risks and make decisions about how to reduce them. Still, there is not a unique global regulation to reduce their risks and enforce their beneficial, safe applications. This article discusses generative AI applications, risks and regulations as well as technical aspects of large language models, and how to implement ChatGPT in the real world.
Analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) seem to be omnipresent in today’s society and it's all part of the melting pot of the digital transformation (Dx) movement. A key focus for universities of the future will be the application of Dx efforts, including online learning, analytics and AI.
The practical availability of generative intelligence on a relatively broad basis is a significant sociotechnical phenomenon. As a practitioner of systematic innovation/technology forecasting and an active participant in each of these revolutionary phases, I observe the present development through a particular lens. Most broadly, I aspire to improve human problem-solving and the way that we approach it by leveraging systematic innovation and “ways of thinking” (particularly “disruptive thinking”).
The INFORMS Conference on Security was great for individuals interested in national security, public safety and justice applications. This conference is also jointly attended by NSF and other funders, so it can be a great way to learn about available funding opportunities and what they are looking for. In general, smaller INFORMS conferences are a great way to meet and network with your peers whose interests closely align with yours.
For more from Veronica, including her 2022 INFORMS DEI Ambassador project, click here.Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts are critical to future U.S. armed forces facing peer or near-peer competition. Improving DEI within the national security community will (1) increase the number of young Americans willing to serve, (2) cast a wider net to garner the country’s best and brightest and (3) maximize the performance of our armed forces organizations. DEI efforts can support each of these goals. Without DEI, the national security community is at risk.
We’ve got really smart people that I work with that build these really great tools that help people make decisions and it’s still hard to get people to use them, and it’s still hard to get people to engage in analytics and want to change the way they do things. Just like people remember more news from the Colbert Report than they do from CNN, people remember some laughs and some jokes and if we can make things a little more fun than it can drive the more serious part of our work.
We’re in the countdown to the 2024 INFORMS Analytics Conference, in Orlando, FL, April 14-16, when more than 700 leading analytics professionals and industry experts will come together to discover new solutions to business problems, connect and network, and celebrate excellence in the field.
Today’s guest is going to help us explore the fun side of data analytics! Evan Wimpey is not only an analytics professional with Elder Research but is also a stand-up comedian! After spending years analyzing data and delivering statistical models, Evan realized that humor is often the most effective way to make dry or technical topics more accessible … and more fun! Now in addition to his analytics day job, he performs data science comedy at conferences and events around the world, to include the upcoming 2024 INFORMS Analytics Conference, April 14-16 in Orlando, FL.
The term “operations research” has various meanings that differ considerably. For some, O.R. refers to a specific collection of problems, solutions and techniques that have been accumulated over the last 80 years and recognized as O.R. problems. Others consider O.R. as more of an approach to doing things by leveraging a wide set of tools and skills. This article serves as a reminder of the history of O.R. and how far it's come.
We should focus on what problems OR/MS can solve and why, what that means (e.g., improve sustainability/reduce costs). Students (especially high school and younger) should be introduced to what the problem is, and maybe understand modeling. Algorithms can come later. An answer does not make sense if you do not have a question.
For more from Carsten, click here.
Most readers of OR/MS Today are at least somewhat aware of the origin story of INFORMS, when two dynamo organizations – Operations Research Society of America (ORSA) and The Institute of Management Sciences (TIMS) – joined forces in 1995. That said, OR/MS Today predates our current Institute. The magazine began with its nomenclature in 1974, marking 2024 the 50th anniversary of the membership magazine of INFORMS.
2024 INFORMS President Julie Swann shares her outlook for the year regarding INFORMS and its myriad activities, offerings and opportunities for change.
It’s no secret that math and science scores among young people are dropping at an alarming rate. In 2023, U.S. News & World Report reported that math scores among U.S. teenagers were the lowest they had been since the 1970s and math test results from 2021 found that among 13-year-olds, average math scores declined 9 points compared to the previous assessment – the single largest decline observed in the last half century. It’s hard not to be dismayed by such startling results, but nonetheless, it presents a significant opportunity for the INFORMS community to join together to find ways to communicate with and engage these students.
Most business schools are incorporating some form of business analytics into their curricula, and a substantial number even have departments dedicated to the field. However, we speculated that there was a stigma surrounding the required undergraduate courses designed to introduce students to statistics and analytics, and developed a survey to measure various components of students' perceptions going into an undergraduate business analytics course.
Decision analysis is amoral. You can use the tools of decision analysis (and many other tools of operations research) to decide on the best way to rob a bank. The tools are insensitive to the morality of their application. Should there be an ethics focus on the teaching of decision analysis and O.R. in general? And should there be a method to assess the ethical quality of a decision?
It can often seem daunting to keep pace with the rapid advancements in technology and the tools available to operations research and analytics professionals. The INFORMS community offers their best tips for staying current with the latest analytics trends and technology.
The world of academia has a constant buzz of ideas and ambitions that is as relentless as it is quiet. Time flies, and before I know it, I’ve been navigating this world for more than a decade. Along the way, I’ve seen firsthand the power of branding to shape our careers, forge our connections and turn our ideas into impact.
Before venturing into data analytics, my world revolved around epidemiology and government. Although my transition may seem like a significant leap, it was, in fact, a natural progression.
Now more than ever, firms are investing in artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics efforts. However, the reality is that despite a few very big headline-making wins, most AI and analytics projects fail. However, it does not need to be this way. If we want our AI and analytics projects to succeed, we must become leaders.
The 2024 INFORMS Analytics Conference is coming up on April 14-16 at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida. It is THE place to be if you work in analytics – whether you’re a practitioner at any career stage, a manager of analytics projects, an executive at an organization using analytics or a student wanting to learn more about your future career.
February 11 is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. We exploit some quotes from Virginia Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own” to discuss why there is still the need for such days as well as the challenges faced by women in operations research (O.R.) past and present. In her 1929 essay, Woolf pretended that William Shakespeare had a sister, Judith, as brilliant and talented as him to reason about the social disadvantages and prejudices women dealt with and the lack of their production in literature at the time. We adopt a similar reasoning by assuming that, besides a brother, George B. Dantzig, one of the pioneers of O.R., had a younger sister.
In a world where traditional operational strategies have long been the driving force, neuro-OM emerges as a groundbreaking paradigm shift. This article shares an insightful conversation with Professor T. T. Niranjan from Indian Institute of Technology Mumbai, a luminary in this innovative field, in which we explore the nuances of how understanding the intricacies of the human mind can revolutionize operations and supply chain management.
Navigating the whirlwind of college life, with its blend of classes, research commitments and the quest for real-world experience, can be an overwhelming feat. The struggle to find time for even a good night’s sleep can make the idea of joining clubs and organizations feel like an impossible luxury. However, student involvement is key to developing interpersonal skills that simply cannot be learned in the classroom. In particular, joining a professional society, such as INFORMS, can provide connections to more senior professionals in the field, volunteer opportunities and an introduction to cutting-edge research through conferences and meetings.
We are exhausting our organizations with the continuous refocus on efforts on levels of diversity. Money, time and, most importantly, emotional and mental energy of managers and employees go into these efforts. Are they working? Do we see a change?
