News Releases

If the future of warehouse work belongs to humans and robots working side by side, a key question remains: What is the most effective way for them to collaborate?

New research published in Transportation Science, a journal of INFORMS, suggests the answer may be more flexible than many warehouse operators expect. The study, "Picking the Best Bot: Collaboration Strategies for Humans and Bots in Order Pick Systems with Traveling Salesman Problem Routing," found that under many real-world conditions, warehouse workers achieve higher productivity when they dynamically switch among multiple autonomous mobile robots rather than work exclusively with a single robot.

A study published in Management Science finds that the industry’s standard approach of matching video game players against opponents with similar skill levels is not necessarily the most effective way to keep people engaged. Instead, researchers show that more sophisticated matchmaking systems—ones that account for how players respond to recent wins, losses and competitive experiences over time—can significantly increase player retention.

If people form opinions online before they fully evaluate whether information is true, then the fight against misinformation may begin far earlier than most platforms are designed to address. A new study published in Information Systems Research, a journal of INFORMS, suggests that social media users can begin developing stable opinions about unfamiliar topics after seeing only a handful of consistent posts. Researchers found that after roughly five exposures, users’ impressions often began stabilizing and shaping how they responded to future information.

A computerized matching system can be designed to be fair and still produce unequal outcomes if the people using it do not understand how it works.

Big data, artificial intelligence and advanced pricing algorithms make it easier than ever for companies to fine-tune prices for individual products to closely reflect their unique value and cost. The conventional wisdom is straightforward: better data, better algorithms and sharper segmentation should produce better profits. But new research suggests that the most profitable answer isn’t always more fine-grained pricing across a product line. In fact, it is fewer, better-chosen price points.

As artificial intelligence and data-driven analytics rapidly transform online retail, a surprising dynamic is emerging: some e-commerce platforms deliberately allow third-party analytics tools to scrape or access marketplace data, even though doing so could weaken the platform’s competitive advantage.

INFORMS proudly celebrates the election of two distinguished members to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the highest professional honors in the field. 

Managers looking to improve worker performance are increasingly turning to AI tools to boost productivity and decision quality. But new research published in the INFORMS journal Management Science suggests technology alone won’t determine results. The biggest gains come when workers understand their own strengths and limitations, which helps them know when to rely on AI.

New research published in the INFORMS journal Information Systems Research finds that giving low-wage workers access to their earned wages before payday can significantly increase saving behavior, financial monitoring and long-term planning.

While inflation has cooled in recent months, consumer prices remain well above where they were five years ago, continuing to strain household budgets. But higher sticker prices are only part of the story. New research published in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science shows many consumers may be paying more without realizing it because they are getting less product for the same price.