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August 1, 2022
To advance the state-of-the-art in vehicle routing, ORTEC initiates the EURO Meets NeurIPS 2022 Vehicle Routing Competition. This is a unique and challenging routing competition as it’s seeking to unite Operations Research and Machine Learning; those normally exist alongside each other. Today, on August 1, the code submission platform opens.
In the title of my 1993 dissertation, I used the word “algorithm”. Few people knew the term back then, but today everyone does, and with that it seems to represent something untrustworthy: algorithms are opaque, discriminatory, and might even bring you into discredit. Just think of the Dutch childcare benefits scandal that has vilified so many innocent parents in the Netherlands. But do we really know what algorithms are?
An article by Goos Kant, Managing Partner at ORTEC and Professor of Logistics Optimization. This article is based on an article that was originally published in Nederlands Dagblad on July 18, 2022.
In this series, we’re asking leading scientists in data, technology, and artificial intelligence how science can contribute to today’s challenges. Together with you, we aim to discover how we can turn theory into practice, making use of scientific research to make the world a better place.
Three questions for Prof. dr. Ger Koole, professor of mathematics at VU University Amsterdam
Personnel is scarce everywhere. Recruitment, retention, sick leave, and employee satisfaction are important topics now in almost every industry. ORTEC (and others) claim that workforce scheduling solutions help companies solve these problems. These solutions contain optimization modules, which means that a computer algorithm proposes the best schedule for the coming period or during the day, while respecting all kinds of hard and soft constraints. But is a mathematical optimizer helpful to create the best work environment for the employees? Well, there’s more to optimizers than we often think.
By Goos Kant, Professor Logistic Optimization Tilburg University & Managing Partner ORTEC
Watching the news lately shows on the one hand devastated families who have been ruined by the AI-based systems used by the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration to identify fraudsters. On the other hand, it shows how someone leaves the hospital visibly relieved, after the MRI scanner’s AI-driven algorithm caught their cancer at a very early stage, making it possible to intervene in time and with minimal damage caused. Both are examples of the use of AI. But also, both would not or barely happen anymore if stricter AI legislation were to be introduced. The Dutch tax authorities would then – fortunately – no longer be permitted to use profiling software, but the flipside is that it might become illegal to use medical data to further improve the MRI scanner’s algorithm. Crafting sound legislation therefore puts us in an impossible quandary: how do we throw out the negative sides of AI while hanging on to the positives? As Professor of Decision Sciences Marc Salomon replies: “It is precisely this quandary that makes putting in place the right legislation so very tricky.”
An interview with Marc Salomon, professor at the University of Amsterdam.
ORTEC introduces the third issue of the valued Data and AI in the Boardroom magazine. An ORTEC magazine to support senior executives to cope with the challenges, opportunities and risks of data and artificial intelligence, enhancing decision-making to secure long-term, sustainable growth in today's fast-changing world.
ORTEC is carefully monitoring the developments around the worldwide spread of the coronavirus. We consider it our number one priority to keep our employees, customers and relations safe and healthy.
We have taken and are taking (preventative) measures to minimize the effect of the coronavirus on the continuity of your and our business. You can find our latest update below.
In this series of articles, we have so far examined four elements that are crucial for a successful holistic digital strategy: (1) innovation (2) data (3) talent development and (4) culture. All these elements must be considered when formulating a holistic digital strategy, but the question remains: how do you organize a digital transformation in practice? In this final article, we will zoom in on that essential 5th aspect related to Change Management: Getting it done.
This article is part of the series Five Components of a Holistic Digital Strategy. ‘Change Management’ is the fifth and final component.
An article powered by Rianne Langenberg, Managing Consultant and
Hans Spaan, Director.