We are drowning in numbers, and we no longer understand what they mean. Every day, headlines bombard us with figures meant to inform: billions in spending, trillions in debt, percentages signaling growth or decline. But for most of us, these numbers blur together. They register as “large” or “small,” but almost never as real. And that is more than a math problem. It is a civic one.
INFORMS has awarded Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) its 2026 Franz Edelman Award for Achievement in Advanced Analytics, Operations Research and Management Science, for reengineering how global cloud infrastructure is planned and delivered, applying advanced analytics and AI to orchestrate complex fulfillment decisions across its rapidly expanding data center network.
In the rush to adopt artificial intelligence, many employers are now requiring that employees use AI tools. As you’re using AI, be intentional and selective. It’s critical that you know yourself. Research published in Management Science found that AI is most valuable for people who understand their own abilities and limitations. Assess yourself, so you can factor this into your process for incorporating AI into your work.
An audio journey of how data and analytics save lives, save money and solve problems.
Jeff Cohen
Chief Strategy Officer
INFORMS
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The INFORMS International Conference, held for the first time this year in Taipei drew international top scholars from 25 countries around the world. Participants agreed that in addition to academic research and discussion on the latest trends, they were also impressed by the energy of Taiwan’s industry innovation and Taipei’s progress and friendliness.
Mary Beth Kurz, INFORMS member and professor with Clemson University, talks about the little things her grandfather did with her that made a huge impact on her as an engineer and as a person.
Jack Levis, INFORMS member and senior director of process management for UPS, a winner of the INFORMS Edelman Award, discusses the company’s On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation (ORION) system, which uses IoT technology to allow more control over its operations. This ORION system is constantly collecting information from several sources, including drivers, vehicles and packages, and data from all sources is integrated and analyzed to create a full picture of the operation. With IoT technology, UPS has cut the miles driven per year by 100 million, ultimately cutting CO2 emissions by 100,000 metric tons, using 10 million fewer gallons of fuel and saving the company $350 million to $400 million per year.
While many may dread campaign season because of the bad energy associated with negative political advertising, a new study has found that such ads actually work. Negative advertising in politics works, but it’s more effective if the advertising comes directly from a candidate or candidate’s campaign. That’s according to a new study in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science.
INFORMS member George Skiadopoulos shares new research in the INFORMS journal Management Science, which discusses a new economic indicator, based on stock index options prices, that predicts the U.S. economy is poised to expand robustly with no sign of a recession in sight.
OR/MS Today is the INFORMS member magazine that shares the latest research and best practices in operations research, analytics and the management sciences.
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Analytics magazine showcases articles and research reports based on big data, AI, machine learning, data analytics and other new-age technologies.
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