1015: Mathematical Optimization in the Agentic AI Era, with Gurobi's Jerry Yurchisin

In Episode #1015, Jerry Yurchisin (manager of decision intelligence strategy at Gurobi Optimization) joins Jon Krohn to explain the AI technology that makes breaking a constraint mathematically impossible. Large language models will confidently claim they've optimized your business while ignoring the one constraint that could cost millions, whereas optimization treats constraints as hard guarantees. Jerry lays out the division of labor he sees for the agentic era: agents help you frame the problem, write the formulation and generate the code, then hand off to a solver like Gurobi, soon callable via MCP servers. In this episode, Jerry breaks down the three building blocks of any optimization model, traces the leap in non-linear solving, explains how to pitch optimization to your CFO and to the planners whose jobs it touches, and shares case studies spanning energy grids, retirement planning and USA Cycling's Paris 2024 gold.

Additional materials: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.superdatascience.com/1015⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In this episode you will learn:

(02:42) The three building blocks of an optimization model

(21:43) Where optimization fits in the agentic AI era

(29:58) Inside the Gurobi Intelligence Hub

(39:40) Energy, retirement planning and a cycling gold medal

(50:58) How to sell optimization inside your organization