Forecasting in retail and supply chain is rarely an end goal. Instead, it is a critical input to various downstream decision-making processes that support a retailer's supply chain operations. However, the entities to forecast on may significantly change based on the different usages.
FEATURED ARTICLE
What Can Quantum Computers Do for You?
Quantum computing has the potential to transform many areas of computing, including – possibly – operations research (O.R.). The United Nations declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, suggesting that this is a good time for INFORMS members to ask themselves if they are interested in learning about, contributing to or using this technology. This article overviews some of the areas of quantum computing that potentially overlap with operations research; while we do not aim to (and could not possibly) be exhaustive, we provide a few pointers to facilitate further investigation.
LATEST NEWS 
FEATURED ARTICLE
Talent Management: “Here Come the Digital Workers!”
We need to develop a culture of collaborative intelligence. Responsible organizations are figuring out how to enable their top talent with smart computers, instead of replacing them. Leading organizations invest in empowering (augmenting) their employees with artificial intelligence (AI) so they can create higher value in better ways, as well as automating processes that are lower value and do not engage employees.
SPONSORED CONTENT from Gurobi
Educating in the Age of AI: Future-proofing O.R. Practitioners
How will AI impact O.R. practitioners? Is it simply another tool that can be added to an extensive and proven toolbox, or is it poised to fundamentally reshape our approach to solving problems? In either case, how should O.R. educators and practitioners respond to AI and its impact?
What's Your StORy?
Jeff Day
“The possibilities, to me, is what’s exciting. Thinking about, ‘wow, if I had this 20 years ago,’ what we could’ve done. It’s exciting for the new people – the people coming into the field now. We used to have to optimize uphill both ways! But it is nice to see where the field has come, and to be at the edge of that and see where it’s going.”
—Jeff Day, Principal Consultant Presales, FICO
Click here to watch the full video interview.FEATURED ARTICLE
Reshaping Baseball: The Impact of Analytics and Technology
Since the publication of the book “Moneyball” in 2002 (and subsequently, the 2011 movie adaptation), baseball has shifted from an era of intuition – relying on gut feelings and traditional knowledge – to a scientific era defined by data-driven decision-making. By 2021, analytics had evolved beyond basic statistics into multidimensional systems powered by advanced technology. This article explores two key questions: What groundbreaking innovations have revolutionized baseball analytics since 2021? How have these changes reshaped the essence of the game?
SPONSORED CONTENT from INFORMS
2025 Franz Edelman Award competition finalists
We’re in the countdown to the 2025 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 6-8, when more than 700 leading analytics professionals and industry experts will come together to discover new solutions to business problems, connect and network, and celebrate excellence in the field.
We invite you to explore a special series of interviews highlighting the finalist teams from this year's Franz Edelman Award competition, the Nobel Prize of Analytics.
FEATURED ARTICLE
Enhancing Supply Chain Resilience: Strategies for Mitigating Hurricane-Driven Disruptions in Breakbulk Logistics
As the number and intensity of Atlantic hurricanes continue to increase, supply chain professionals must rise to the challenge and innovate in the face of a rapidly changing climate. The logistics-related disruptions caused by a hurricane can be broad-reaching, including limitations in transport, damage to warehousing infrastructure and downed communication lines, as well as the potential strain on inventory availability. To effectively manage these disruptions, creating a hurricane crisis committee that can study and implement strategies to mitigate associated risks is pertinent.
What's Your StORy?
Tianyi Peng
“My path is a bit unusual. For the first two years of my Ph.D., I was working on quantum information science. I decided to shift my direction to do something more practical, with real-world applications. That’s when I started to learn about OR/MS and INFORMS. I began to hear the idea of making the world better through data-driven decision-making, which is a big theme of INFORMS, and I thought, ‘Aha! This is exactly the thing I want to do!'”
—Tiany Peng, Columbia University
Watch the full interview on the INFORMS YouTube channel.
DEPARTMENTS 
Inside Story
Future-Ready: Embracing AI-Driven Transformations
In every era, professionals must adapt to the changing tides of innovation – but few periods have seen such sweeping transformation as the one we’re navigating now. From artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing to advanced analytics and automation, the 21st century is redefining not only how we work but also how we think, learn and compete. In this issue, we explore how operations research (O.R.) and analytics professionals across disciplines are preparing themselves for a future that’s already here.
President's Desk
The Power of Collaboration
Professional associations provide invaluable services to their members and to society at large. These services include promoting and advancing community interests, disseminating current research, creating educational and certification opportunities, offering career services, and celebrating member achievements. Associations also play a vital role in advocating for their fields, upholding ethical and scientific standards, and fostering inclusive, global communities. However, perhaps none of these services is more critical than fostering collaboration among members and across various sectors.
HQ Highlights
Finding Common Ground
Because June marks a time of reflection and conversation across the country about freedom, justice, security and equitable opportunity. Although politics and personal history don’t define excellence, they can shape how we understand challenges, build relationships and help our community thrive. With Juneteenth commemorated this month, many organizations, including INFORMS, are taking time to ask what it truly means to be a welcoming and fair community. For us, that means going beyond statements – it means building something lasting and real.
Advocacy in D.C.
Advocacy in a Time of Turbulence
Washington, D.C., is facing a convergence of pressures: fiscal constraints, rising global complexity, and a policy environment reshaping how science and innovation are valued and supported. These shifts are rippling across the country and are especially critical regardless of whether you work in academia, industry or government. Yet, Washington is still paying close attention to science, especially in artificial intelligence (AI), data science and algorithmic governance.
Forum
The Opportunity That Lies in IoT Data for Analytics Entrepreneurs
The rapid evolution of IoT presents both challenges and opportunities. As devices become more interconnected and data generation increases, the need for ethical data handling, security measures and regulatory frameworks will be crucial and is an opportunity in itself. At the same time, the entrepreneurial potential within IoT is vast. By responsibly harnessing IoT data, analytics professionals can drive innovation and create impactful solutions in this ever-expanding digital ecosystem.
Viewpoint
AI-Driven Remodeling in Health Plan Workflows: Revolutionizing Healthcare Analytics
Artificial intelligence (AI) has a powerful impact on the healthcare industry because it can pivotally impact and redefine traditional healthcare workflows and analytics. From managing effective patient flows and combatting compromised surge, to providing correct authorization requests and relevant service authorizations, to identifying population of patients for value-based care and program outreach, data modeling is everywhere.
Letter to Self
Reflections on Transition to Civilian Life
A year from now, you will be writing this letter, reflecting on your transition out of the Navy and which actions had the greatest impact on this time in your life. You will discover a passion in assisting others in understanding the steps they can take to help them navigate turbulent times. Spoiler alert: The good news is that you’ll find a new professional home – one that challenges you intellectually and aligns with your values. You will successfully navigate this transition – not without effort, but with vision and determination. And when you look back, you’ll realize that the most important steps were the ones you took well before your military retirement date.
Roundtable Profile
QuantumBlack’s Hybrid Approach to Operations Research in the Age of AI
Modern operations research (O.R.) sits at a critical juncture. Traditional optimization methods that have defined the field for decades are now being transformed through integration with artificial intelligence (AI), creating new possibilities – and new expectations – for solving complex business problems. At QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, we’re pioneering this integration with our “hybrid intelligence” approach, combining the power of advanced AI with human expertise to revolutionize O.R. applications across industries.
INFORMS Initiatives
Fostering Ethical Behavior in Academic Publishing: A Call for Self-Regulation
In recent years, INFORMS has been experiencing a continued surge in journal article submissions. However, with this growth comes the challenge of maintaining high ethical standards in publishing. We propose that self-regulation within the INFORMS community can be a powerful and necessary tool to enforce ethical behavior and curb misconduct by a small subset of authors.
Member Insights: AI-SCORE
The Meta-Problem: How to Choose the Right Problem to Solve
When it comes to analytics, solving the right problem is great guidance, but it is also entirely unhelpful. Without an explanation of what might make a problem right, there’s no way to know how best to act. Comparing problems is an abstract idea, but it is the first steppingstone to solving the meta-problem of choosing which problem to solve.
Conference Preview
Get Ready for the 2025 INFORMS International Meeting in Singapore
We are thrilled to welcome you to the 2025 INFORMS International Meeting, set to take place July 20-23 at the stunning Raffles City Convention Centre in Singapore. This international gathering brings together thought leaders, researchers and practitioners in operations research, analytics and the management sciences from across the globe. Register now!
Student Perspectives
Driving Autonomy: The Critical Role of Operations Research and Artificial Intelligence
Autonomous systems are reshaping the world as we know it in terms of climate management, warehousing, medicine and logistics. The course of history has taught us how technological advancements alter the way economies operate and how people or society coexist. Today, we stand at the frontier of another shift led by autonomous systems that are reshaping how we think about logistics, mobility, medicine, climate, infrastructure management and beyond.
Last Word
Technology Modernization Gone Wrong: The Cost of Ignoring Customer Experience
Modernization should enhance the customer experience, not erase what makes it special. Yet, a recent change at my long-time yoga studio has turned an exciting transformation into a cautionary tale.
