News Room

A collection of press releases, audio content and media clips featuring INFORMS members and their research.

Unmasking Human Trafficking: New AI Research Reveals Hidden Recruitment Networks
News Release

BALTIMORE, MD, May 24, 2025 – Most anti-human trafficking efforts focus on breaking up sex sales; however, new research in the INFORMS journal Manufacturing & Service Operations Management is turning its attention to where trafficking truly begins – recruitment. Using machine learning to analyze millions of online ads, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have uncovered patterns that link deceptive job offers to sex trafficking networks. By mapping the connections between recruitment and sales locations, the study reveals a hidden supply chain – one that can now be exposed and interrupted earlier in the trafficking process.

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New U.S. drug prices doubled amid a shift toward treating rare diseases
Media Coverage

Drugs being explicitly developed to treat rare diseases are getting more expensive.

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Human air traffic controllers keep flyers safe. Should AI have a role?
Media Coverage

Old technology is behind the recent ongoing delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport, but newer technology will be an important part of the solution.

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Resoundingly Human Podcast

An audio journey of how data and analytics save lives, save money and solve problems.

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Chief Strategy Officer
INFORMS
Catonsville, MD
jcohen@informs.org
443-757-3565

INFORMS in the News

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In the fight against human trafficking, industrial engineers can help

In the fight against human trafficking, industrial engineers can help

News @ Northeastern, February 8, 2019

Kayse Lee Maass, an INFORMS member and assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at Northeastern University, believes engineers have tools that can help fight human trafficking. The same techniques used to model supply chains or plan media campaigns can be adapted to find ways to disrupt trafficking networks or organize support services for survivors.

Machine learning can improve the process for identifying consumer needs

Machine learning can improve the process for identifying consumer needs

Market Business News, February 8, 2019

New research in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science has found that machine learning can really improve the process of identifying consumer needs. Consumer brands globally have long used old-fashioned focus groups. They have also used surveys and interviews to gauge consumer needs, wants, and desires. They have used them as part of the processes that include marketing, sales, and product development.

Can machine learning deliver critical market insights on consumer needs faster and cheaper?

Can machine learning deliver critical market insights on consumer needs faster and cheaper?

News Release, February 7, 2019

CATONSVILLE, MD, February 7, 2019 – Consumer brands have long used old-fashioned focus groups, interviews and surveys to best gauge consumer wants, desires and needs as part of processes that range from product development, to marketing and sales. As machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) have emerged, there is an increasing interest in the ability to harness these solutions to save time and money, and to yield more reliable consumer insights.

When the insurance company monitors your driving in real time does it help?

When the insurance company monitors your driving in real time does it help?

News Release, February 6, 2019

CATONSVILLE, MD, February 6, 2019 – The traditional model for setting auto insurance premiums has been to base rates on the motorist’s driving history, age, gender and even marital status (in some states). Thanks to new technological options, insurance companies and motorists have started to work together to give the insurance companies access to better data on an individual driver’s risk level, and give the same driver a sense of greater control over how much he or she will pay in insurance premiums.

2019 INFORMS Business Analytics Conference: Industry 4.0

2019 INFORMS Business Analytics Conference: Industry 4.0

KD Nuggets, February 5, 2019

With analytics driving and impacting nearly every industry today, it is ever-more essential and challenging to stay current in this rapidly moving field. The 2019 INFORMS Conference on Business Analytics and Operations Research offers a rich experience for Analytics professionals and other business leaders to learn from and network with leading experts and professionals at the epicenter of the evolution of data science.

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INFORMS Magazines

OR/MS Today is the INFORMS member magazine that shares the latest research and best practices in operations research, analytics and the management sciences.

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Analytics magazine showcases articles and research reports based on big data, AI, machine learning, data analytics and other new-age technologies.

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