About Us
The synergy between predictive and prescriptive analytics is akin to birds of a feather. Before delving into 'what should we do?' there's the crucial inquiry of 'what could happen?'
Borzou Rostami
"At AI4DA, we delve into the essence of prescriptive analytics, emphasizing its integral role alongside predictive analytics, leveraging machine learning and AI, in shaping contemporary business strategies.
Addressing the fundamental question of "what action should we take," prescriptive analytics tackles complex decision scenarios. Our center empowers decision-makers to construct and implement optimization models, translating intricate business problems into mathematical representations. Sophisticated optimization solvers then employ advanced algorithms to deliver precise recommendations, guiding decisions in alignment with objectives.
The synergy between predictive and prescriptive analytics is akin to birds of a feather. Before delving into "what should we do?" there's the crucial inquiry of "what could happen?" Predictive analytics, powered by advanced algorithms and machine learning, mines historical data to identify patterns and relationships, creating models that forecast the likelihood of various scenarios or outcomes.
You may believe that relying solely on predictive analytics is sufficient for a business, viewing prescriptive analytics as a mere "nice-to-have" addition. However, this perspective misses the mark. Predictive models generated by machine learning provide "actionable insights," yet they do not prescribe the necessary actions for optimal outcomes based on those insights. In many instances, individuals influenced by biases rely on their instincts, resulting in suboptimal outcomes at best and disappointing ones at worst. A critical need exists to seamlessly integrate the theoretical advancements in machine learning and optimization algorithms with their practical application in the industry. By combining these fields, the AI Centre for Decision Analytics aims to pioneer new learning-enabled optimization platforms that will transform how we analyze and use data to make informed decisions."
— Borzou Rostami, Academic Director, AI Centre for Decision Analytics
What sets us apart
An interdisciplinary vision. There exists a critical need to seamlessly integrate the theoretical advancements in machine learning and optimization algorithms with their practical application in industry. By combining these fields, the AI Centre for Decision Analytics aims to pioneer new learning-enabled optimization platforms that will transform how we analyze and use data to make informed decisions.
Our university’s research environment provides the necessary infrastructure and resources to support AI4DA’s activities. External factors, such as the growing demand for AI-driven solutions and the increasing recognition of our university as a hub for interdisciplinary research, create favorable conditions for the centre’s success. Together, we’ll create a collaborative environment where researchers,, educators and practitioners work together to tackle real-world problems and generate practical solutions by integrating decision analytics, optimization and machine learning.
Our Mission
Our mission is to create theoretical and practical innovations that can revolutionize the way we make decisions in large-scale, distributed, real-time and automated contexts.
AI4DA will address the growing need for innovation by focusing on the two fundamental ingredients of intelligent behavior: knowledge acquisition through machine learning (ML) and the ability to use it efficiently via optimization algorithms.