Pascal Van Hentenryck, the A. Russell Chandler III Chair and professor at Georgia Tech, and director of the U.S. National Science Foundation AI Institute for Advances in Optimization (AI4OPT) and Tech AI, delivered a keynote address at the 11th IFAC Conference on Manufacturing Modelling, Management and Control (MIM 2025), hosted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
Van Hentenryck introduced a series of foundational approaches—such as primal and dual optimization proxies, predict-then-optimize strategies, self-supervised learning, and deep multi-stage policies—that enable AI systems to operate effectively and responsibly in high-stakes, real-time environments. These frameworks demonstrate the power of integrating AI with domain-specific reasoning to achieve results unattainable by either field alone.
“This is not just about building smarter algorithms,” Van Hentenryck said. “It’s about designing AI that can adapt, learn, and optimize under uncertainty—across supply chains, energy systems, and manufacturing networks.”
The keynote aligned directly with the MIM 2025 focus on logistics and production systems. Drawing from recent work in supply chain optimization and smart manufacturing, Van Hentenryck emphasized how AI4OPT’s research is already generating measurable impact in industry.
MIM 2025, organized by NTNU’s Production Management Research Group and supported by MHI and CICMHE, featured more than 40 experts delivering keynotes, presenting research, and leading breakout sessions across topics in modeling, control, and decision-making in manufacturing and logistics.
Tech AI is Georgia Tech’s strategic initiative to lead in the development and application of artificial intelligence across disciplines and industries. Serving as a unifying platform for AI research, education, and collaboration, Tech AI connects researchers, industry, and government partners to drive responsible innovation in areas such as healthcare, mobility, energy, sustainability, and education. Director of Tech AI, Pascal Van Hentenryck helps guide the institute’s research vision and strategic alignment across Georgia Tech’s AI portfolio. Learn more at ai.gatech.edu.
The AI Institute for Advances in Optimization (AI4OPT) is one of the National Science Foundation’s flagship AI Institutes and is led by Georgia Tech. The institute brings together experts in artificial intelligence, optimization, and control to tackle grand challenges in supply chains, transportation, and energy systems.
AI4OPT is one of several NSF-funded AI institutes housed within Tech AI’s collaborative framework, enabling cross-disciplinary research with real-world outcomes. Learn more at ai4opt.org.
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At the 11th IFAC Conference on Manufacturing Modelling, Management and Control (MIM 2025) in Trondheim, Norway, Georgia Tech’s Pascal Van Hentenryck delivered a keynote address on the power of integrating artificial intelligence, optimization, and control for engineering and societal impact. As Director of Tech AI and the NSF AI Institute for Advances in Optimization (AI4OPT), Van Hentenryck outlined theoretical frameworks and practical applications in manufacturing and supply chains that are redefining how AI can operate in complex, real-time environments. His talk reflects Georgia Tech’s strategic leadership through Tech AI in advancing responsible, interdisciplinary AI solutions that serve both industry and society.
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