Microsoft Wins 2026 INFORMS Prize for Excellence in Operations Research and Analytics

Global Technology Leader Recognized for Advancing Cloud Infrastructure and Operational Performance Through Data-Driven Innovation

BALTIMORE, April 13, 2026 — INFORMS, the world’s largest association for professionals and students in operations research (O.R.), AI, analytics and data science, has awarded Microsoft, a global leader in cloud computing and technology solutions, the 2026 INFORMS Prize. This prestigious award recognizes Microsoft’s use of advanced analytics and O.R. to optimize its end-to-end cloud infrastructure and capacity management to deliver best-in-class efficiency, scalability and reliability.

Microsoft has embedded O.R. at the core of its operations in innovative ways. The company’s engineering, supply chain and research teams play a critical role in optimizing its global cloud ecosystem, from real-time virtual machine allocation to hardware fulfillment and data center deployment, enabling improvements in capacity utilization, cost efficiency, speed and sustainability.

A Commitment to Data-Driven Innovation

Microsoft’s approach integrates machine learning, large-scale optimization and advanced systems design into a coordinated decision intelligence layer that operates across multiple time scales. These capabilities allow the company to make millions of real-time decisions while continuously optimizing long-term infrastructure investments.

At the core of this transformation are several major innovations. Microsoft redesigned its Azure virtual machine allocation system using online algorithms, machine learning and digital twins to improve packing efficiency and reduce latency, delivering significant cost savings and performance gains at hyperscale.

In parallel, its Intelligent Fulfillment Service applies large-scale optimization and generative AI to orchestrate global supply chain decisions, reducing cycle times by more than 50% while generating tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in annual value.

Additionally, Microsoft developed advanced optimization models for data center rack placement, improving power utilization and reducing environmental impact across its global infrastructure footprint.

INFORMS Celebrates Microsoft’s Leadership in Operations Research

Speaking on behalf of the selection committee, Margarit Khachatryan, 2026 INFORMS Prize committee chair, remarked:

“On behalf of the INFORMS Prize Selection Committee, we are honored to recognize Microsoft as the 2026 INFORMS Prize recipient. For nearly a decade, Microsoft has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and a sustained commitment to embedding operations research and advanced analytics to optimize cloud infrastructure, supply chain operations, and data center management at a global scale. This is not recognition for a single achievement—it reflects a lasting, organization-wide culture of rigorous, data-driven decision-making that continues to set the standard for our field. Congratulations to the entire Microsoft team on this well-deserved achievement.”

About the INFORMS Prize

The INFORMS Prize is awarded annually to an organization that has repeatedly applied O.R. and analytics principles in lasting and transformative ways. Past recipients include: Micron Technology, Inc., JD.com, Walmart, Wayfair, Amazon, UPS, Booz Allen Hamilton, BNSF Railway, Walt Disney Company, U.S. Air Force, General Motors, Intel, HP, IBM, Ford, Procter & Gamble and GE Research. For more information on the INFORMS Prize, click here.

About INFORMS

INFORMS is the world’s largest association for professionals and students in operations research, AI, analytics, data science and related disciplines, serving as a global authority in advancing cutting-edge practices and fostering an interdisciplinary community of innovation. With a network of more than 12,000 members spanning academia, industry and government, INFORMS connects thought leaders, experts and emerging professionals who advance and apply AI, mathematics, analytics and other sciences and technologies to solve complex challenges and drive impactful decision-making. 

Through its prestigious peer-reviewed journals, world-class conferences, industry-leading certification programs and a suite of professional resources, INFORMS empowers its community to enhance operational efficiency, elevate organizational performance and promote smarter decisions for a better world. Discover more at www.informs.org.

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Contact:

Rebecca Seel

Public Affairs Specialist, INFORMS

(443) 757-3578

[email protected]