AI-SCORE 2026

The operations research (OR) and computer science (CS) communities have been increasingly cross-fertilizing their respective strengths in developing foundational methodological and computational tools for artificial intelligence (AI) – enabling decision-making in a broad range of use-inspired problem domains, striving to reach the full latent potential of efforts in individual fields. Combining CS capabilities that can exploit massive data-driven methods with OR models that can capture salient features of complex systems can unluck large gains in efficiency, practicality, interpretability, trustworthiness, and fairness in decision-making.

Professional communities in both fields – namely, INFORMS representing OR researchers and ACM SIGAI, representing CS researchers – convened in workshops funded by the Computing Research Association’s Computing Community Consortium. This inspired the formation of a dedicated “School” to (i) train the next generation to be dually conversant in both OR and CS methodological traditions, and (ii) pose challenge problems that are positioned to excite researchers across the CS-OR spectrum. We are grateful to the organizers of the CCC Workshops, to INFORMS, and SIGAI for the inspiration.

This is the second iteration of the AI-SCORE school (see sponsors above). The previous iteration can be found here.

• Contextual Optimization/Decision-Focused Learning, led by Vishal Gupta (USC) and Kai Wang (GT). Plenary by Hamsa Bastani (U Penn).
• Generative AI for Science/Engineering, led by Ferdinando Fioretto (U Virginia) and Leonard Boussioux (U Washington). Plenary by Carla Gomes (Cornell).

The modules will be jointly created thematic tutorials accompanied by curated datasets and exercises involving hands-on participation by students in cross-disciplinary teams.

• May 18, Day 1: Morning: AI-SCORE Opening, Plenary by David Shmoys, Panel; Afternoon: Contextual Optimization (Vishal Gupta + Kai Wang)
• May 19, Day 2: Morning: Contextual Optimization (Vishal Gupta + Kai Wang); Afternoon: Contextual Optimization (Vishal Gupta + Kai Wang)
• May 20, Day 3: Morning: Contextual Optimization Plenary (Hamsa Bastani) + Gen AI (Ferdinando Fioretto + Leonard Boussioux); Afternoon: Free Time
• May 21, Day 4: Morning: Gen AI (Ferdinando Fioretto + Leonard Boussioux); Afternoon: Gen AI Plenary (Ferdinando Fioretto + Leonard Boussioux) + Plenary (Carla Gomes)
• May 22, Day 5 (end at 3:30pm): Morning: Gen AI (Ferdinando Fioretto + Leonard Boussioux); Afternoon: Summary, Feedback and Farewells

Please apply at the Google form here. The deadline to submit is April 17 at 5pm EST. Notifications will be sent by April 20. The form will request the student’s CV, a short statement (maximum one page) describing the problem area at the intersection of OR and CS/AI being explored by the student as a Ph.D. topic; and a very short statement (maximum one page) from the Ph.D. advisor confirming the student is currenlty a first or second year, the student's research area is in OR/AI, and the anticipated benefit (maximum one page).

Application deadline: April 17 5pm EST, 2026. Late submissions will be accepted until April 19, 3pm EST. Notifications will be sent by April 20.

• Email chairs