Webinars

The INFORMS Analytics Society and the INFORMS Practice Section are excited to present the Generative AI Spotlight Series!

This webinar series will explore the strategic, technical, and tactical dimensions of Generative AI, which is already reshaping the future of business and society. INFORMS is bringing together perspectives from both industry and academia to discuss GenAI’s technology, advancements, adoption, and impact.

How are and should industry analytics and OR/MS practitioners incubate, build, and scale with GenAI? Gain valuable insights and real-world experiences from the field on experimentation and scaling efforts. What is the academic world focused on? Learn about the emerging GenAI research topics and their influence on the evolution of related research fields, such as Operations Research and traditional AI research. How is and should analytics and OR/MS education change in the age of GenAI?

Join us for this compelling series, where top experts and thought leaders from industry and academia come together to share their knowledge!

SESSION #1: Kickoff Webinar

TOPIC: Leveraging Generative AI for Creative Problem-Solving in Operations Research and Management Science

In our kickoff episode on October 10, 2024 from 12:00 - 1:00 pm ET, moderators Ece Ceren Izgi and Segev Wasselkrug will host Léonard Boussioux, Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, to discuss GenAI’s role in human-AI collaboration and its impact on ideation and problem-solving in Management Science and Operations Research.

Don’t miss this immersive learning opportunity! 

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NbYVQ4AHT9OyNw8VX6eb2g

Abstract:

The rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (AI) presents unprecedented opportunities for creative problem-solving in Operations Research and Management Science (OR/MS) through human-AI collaboration. This talk explores the potential of integrating AI into the early phases of business solution generation and multi-criteria decision analysis within innovation and strategic planning processes.

We will present two complementary field experiments designed to investigate the impact of human-AI collaboration in both ideation and evaluation contexts. The first experiment utilized a crowdsourcing challenge to compare the effectiveness of human-only versus human-AI collaborative approaches in generating innovative solutions for sustainable, circular economy business ideas. The second experiment examined the influence of AI assistance on the evaluation process of early-stage innovations, involving a diverse group of expert and non-expert screeners to assess solutions for a global health equity challenge.

Results from both experiments provide insights into the strengths and limitations of human-AI collaboration in the initial stages of problem-solving and decision-making. Our findings highlight the potential for incorporating "AI-in-the-loop" methodologies into OR/MS practices, offering a scalable and cost-efficient approach to enhancing creative idea generation and systematic evaluation processes. Our research emphasizes the importance of strategically integrating AI capabilities with human expertise to improve heuristic development and evaluation in complex problem domains.

  

   

   

   

Past Webinars

        

    

Unlocking Opportunities: The Value of an Analytics Certification for Early Career Professionals
Abstract: Join us to learn about leveraging your career in analytics and how to delve into the benefits, advantages, and practical tips for successfully taking the Associate Certified Analytics Professional credential.  

Description: This panel discussion is designed to guide individuals interested in pursuing a career in analytics and operations research as well as to shed light on the growing importance of taking the Associate Certified Analytics Professional exam offered by INFORMS as a steppingstone towards a successful career in the field. Esteemed industry professionals and educators will discuss the benefits, advantages as well as the tips to take this specialized credential. Panelists will also address the distinctions between various paths to becoming certified and highlight how these certificates can propel career advancement. Join this panel to gain valuable insights on charting a roadmap for a career in analytics.  

Moderator: Beverly Wright  

Panelists: Rajan Gupta, Sara Tobe, Shaun Doheney, and Brian Backer

 

Breaking Silos Across Disciplines to Leverage Data Science to Solve Business Problems
Speakers: 
Ece Ceren Izgi, Harrison Schramm, Jen (Leong) Luik, Beverly Wright
Abstract:
Join us for this highly engaging and interactive session about how to understand, identify, and ultimately break silos across company groups to allow more effective data science capabilities!
Watch replay here.

Closing the Gap between the Promise and Reality of Analytics
Speaker:
Jack Levis (UPS, Retired)
Abstract:
By definition, Analytics involves turning Data into Insight to produce Better Decisions. Organizations globally are investing in the people and technology to achieve that goal. With this deep organizational support, the need for more and more “data science” practitioners is growing. The talent pool is cited as a barrier for many. However, currently few organizations are truly reaping the benefit of this promise.  Successes seem to be hit or miss, often leading to frustration. The question asked by many is how can the gap between promise and reality be bridged.
Watch replay here.