Artificial intelligence

Both artificial intelligence (AI) and operations research (OR) have roots in the early years of computer science, both matured during the 1950s and 1960s, and both have undergone major changes in the last few decades as a result of the explosive power and affordability of computers. Operations research is an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving, generally using mathematical models to represent a system. Artificial intelligence involves making computers perform functions that are generally believed to require intelligence. Although the meaning of intelligence is subject to debate, one ingredient, which relates to OR, is being able to solve complex problems.

In developing computer systems capable of complex problem solving, the AI community has adopted a wide variety of approaches that range from very strong cognitive models of human problem solving to very strong computationalmodels that have little internal resemblance to human problem solving. The more cognitively oriented...