An optimization problem is one where you have to make the best decision (choose the best investments, minimize your company’s costs, find the class schedule with the fewest morning classes, or so on).

You make decisions every day. Some are big, and some are small. But even the small decisions involve a great deal of complexity. Let me show you what I mean. Take something you probably do regularly: ...

Neel Somani points out that while artificial intelligence may look like it runs on data and algorithms, its real engine is optimization. According to Somani, every breakthrough in the field—from ...