Making a Case for Research Collaboration Between Artificial Intelligence and Operations Research Experts

TL;DR

This paper advocates for enhanced collaboration between AI and Operations Research communities through workshops, highlighting strategies like joint funding, education, and benchmarking to improve decision-making and societal impact.

Contribution

It presents a unified research vision for AI/OR collaboration, emphasizing practical recommendations to overcome cultural barriers and foster joint advancements.

Findings

Identified key areas for AI/OR integration.

Proposed strategic recommendations for collaboration.

Outlined challenges and opportunities in AI/OR research.

Abstract

In 2021, INFORMS, ACM SIGAI, and the Computing Community Consortium (CCC) hosted three workshops to explore synergies between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Operations Research (OR) to improve decision-making. The workshops aimed to create a unified research vision for AI/OR collaboration, focusing on overcoming cultural differences and maximizing societal impact. The first two workshops addressed technological innovations, applications, and trustworthy AI development, while the final workshop highlighted specific areas for AI/OR integration. Participants discussed "Challenge Problems" and strategies for combining AI and OR techniques. This report outlines five key recommendations to enhance AI/OR collaboration: 1) Funding Opportunities, 2) Joint Education, 3) Long-term Research Programs, 4) Aligning Conferences/Journals, and 5) Benchmark Creation.