The Decision Intelligence Lab

In this episode of the Decision Intelligence Laboratory podcast, Dr. Filippo Focacci, co-founder and CEO of DecisionBrain, shares insights into the world of optimization, the evolution of their DB Gene platform, and the impact of generative AI on decision-making processes. The conversation covers Filippo's journey into optimization, the strengths of Decision Brain's team, and the technolog...

In this episode of the Decision Intelligence Lab podcast, hosts Vijay Mehrotra and Michael Watson interview Jon Petersen, Vice President of Data at Archer, an aerospace company specializing in electric vertical takeoff and landing (EVTOL) aircraft. The conversation explores Archer's mission to revolutionize urban mobility, the critical role of data science in aircraft design and operations, an...

In this episode of the Decision Intelligence Lab podcast, hosts Vijay Mehrotra and Michael Watson discuss the concept of DecisionOps with Carolyn Mooney, Co-Founder & CEO of Nextmv. They discuss the evolution of decision-making systems, the importance of simulation and testing, and how to build trust within organizations. Carolyn shares insights on hierarchical optimization, the responsibiliti...

In this episode of the Decision Intelligence Lab podcast, hosts Vijay Mehrotra and Michael Watson engage with Karthik Gada, a CFO and author, to explore the accelerating rate of change in technology and its implications for businesses, economies, and individuals. Gada discusses how technological advancements are interconnected and how they impact various sectors, including healthcare and education...

In this episode of the Decision Intelligence Laboratory podcast, Borja Menéndez, Lead Operations Research Engineer at Trucksters who also earned his PhD in OR, joins us to discuss his journey into the field of operations research, the impact of his work at Trucksters, and the importance of integrating data science with traditional optimization methods. He shares insights on the relay optimization...

In this episode of the Decision Intelligence Lab podcast, hosts Vijay Mehrotra and Michael Watson engage with Ben Alamar, a PhD economist and sports analytics expert. They explore the evolution of sports analytics, the impact of motion tracking technology, and the challenges of integrating data into decision-making processes in sports. Ben shares personal anecdotes about his experiences with teams...

In this episode, Mike & Vijay sit down with Peter Cacioppi, Principal Operations Research Scientist at Decision Spot to dive into the intersection of model building and production software development. Peter shares insights on the tools he's developed, the role of Python in the Gurobi ecosystem, and the transformative impact of LLMs on software development workflows, particularly in real-t...

In this episode of the Decision Intelligence Lab podcast, host Vijay Mehrotra and co-host Michael Watson engage with Zahir Balaporia, an expert in analytics and decision-making. They explore the concepts of the 'last mile' and 'extra mile', and the politics of analytics. Zahir also shares real-world examples of how organizational dynamics can impact the success of analytics initiatives. The conver...

In this episode of the Decision Intelligence Lab podcast, Ganesh Ramakrishna joins our hosts Vijay & Mike to share his journey from co-founding Opex Analytics to launching Lyric. He discusses the challenges of building a software company, the importance of fundraising with scaled ambitions, and the critical role of product-market fit. Ganesh emphasizes the need for an AI-first mindset in suppl...

In this podcast episode, Michael Watson & Vijay Mehrotra interviews Harley Davis, Founder and CEO of Athena Decision Systems. They discuss the rise of generative AI and its integration with business rules, emphasizing the importance of reliable decision-making in mission-critical applications. Harley explains the limitations of LLMs, referring to them as 'stochastic parrots,' and highlights th...

We live in a world filled where our lives and livelihoods increasingly depend on complex systems.  In this episode, Professor Laura Albert from the University of Wisconsin discusses a recent paper on the “ Grand Challenges in Industrial and Systems Engineering ” and offers some suggestions on how educational programs must evolve in the age of Artificial Intelligence. Timestamps 0:00 - Preview &amp...

In this episode’ of the Decision Intelligence Lab podcast we have Doug Gray, Director of Data Science at Walmart Global Tech and co-author of Why Data Science Project Fail. Whether you are a business leader trying to capture value from your analytic investments, a practicing data scientist, or a student in a technical field aspiring to bring your skills to solve real world problems, this episode w...

In the first episode of the Decision Intelligence Lab podcast, hosts Vijay Mehrotra and Michael Watson interview Dr. Irv Lustig from Princeton Consultants about the Princeton 20, a framework for identifying and mitigating AI and Optimization project risks. This evaluation framework includes both business and technical factors, and is a valuable methodology for project discovery, effective selling,...

The Decision Intelligence Lab podcast explores the practical challenges of implementing data science, analytics, and AI projects, shining a light on many diverse links in the information value chain that transform raw data into real business outcomes.  Each episode features conversations with leaders from technology firms, consultancies, enterprise data science teams, and academia. Hosted by Profe...