-June 2, 2024, is the arrival date.
-Plenary Speakers:
Tim Verdonck and Bart Baesens
Title: Optimizing Cost-Efficiency in Fraud Analytics through Advanced Learning Models
Abstract:
In financial analytics, leveraging predictive models is key for enhancing decision-making and minimizing costs related to fraudulent transactions. This presentation explores the development of sophisticated supervised learning tools tailored for fraud detection. It addresses the critical challenges posed by the disproportionate distribution of transactional data and the varying consequences of misclassification errors. Shifting from the traditional ‘predict-then-optimize’ framework, this discussion introduces a ‘predict-and-optimize’ strategy. We introduce classifiers that aim to directly minimize instance-dependent costs during the model training phase, assessed through real-world data sets. This strategy not only leads to more cost-efficient outcomes but also underscores the dynamic progression of fraud analytics within the realm of financial services.
Bart Baesens
Title: Gaining T(h)rust with AI
Abstract:
This talk elaborates on some recent developments in (generative) AI. I start by refreshing large language models (e.g., ChatGPT, BERT), the underlying transformer architecture (encoder/decoder setup) and attention mechanism. The economic, job and education impact of these technologies are also discussed. Next, I zoom in on AGI/Singularity and review key criteria for trustworthy AI such as open source, education, transparency, regulation, and explainability. The talk is concluded by listing key challenges including untapping new sources of data, cause and effect reasoning, multimodal AI, neuro-symbolic AI and AI systems capturing a world model. Throughout the talk, I will also refer to some of my recent research on the topic.
Panos M. Pardalos
Title: Opening Talk on Dynamics of Information Systems
Tim Verdonck, University of Antwerp – imec & KU Leuven, Belgium
Bart Baesens, KU Leuven, Belgium
Professor Bart Baesens is a professor of Big Data & Analytics at KU Leuven (Belgium), and a lecturer at the University of Southampton (United Kingdom). He has done extensive research on big data & analytics, credit risk modeling, fraud detection, and marketing analytics. He co-authored more than 250 scientific papers and 10 books some of which have been translated into Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Kazakh, and sold more than 40,000 copies of these books world-wide. Bart received the OR Society’s Goodeve medal for best JORS paper in 2016 and the EURO 2014 and EURO 2017 award for best EJOR paper. His research is summarized at www.dataminingapps.com. He also regularly tutors, advises and provides consulting support to international firms with respect to their analytics and credit risk management strategy. Bart is listed in the top 2% of Stanford University’s new Database of Top Scientists in the World. He was also named one of the World’s top educators in Data Science by CDO magazine in 2021 and has educated tens of thousands of data scientists across the globe in the fields of credit risk, fraud, marketing, ICT, HR and others. Bart also has his own ON-LINE learning BlueCourses platform: www.bluecourses.com which features courses on machine learning, credit risk, fraud, marketing, text analytics, deep learning, web scraping etc.
Panos M. Pardalos, University of Florida, USA
Panos Pardalos was born in Drosato (Mezilo) Argitheas GR in 1954 and graduated from Athens University (Department of Mathematics). He received his PhD (Computes and Information Sciences) from the University of Minnesota. He is an Emeritus Distinguished Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Florida, and an affiliated faculty of Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science & Information & Engineering departments.
Panos Pardalos is a world-renowned leader in Global Optimization, Mathematical Modeling, Energy Systems, Financial applications, and Data Sciences. He is a Fellow of AAAS, AAIA, AIMBE, EUROPT, and INFORMS and was awarded the 2013 Constantin Caratheodory Prize of the International Society of Global Optimization. In addition, Panos Pardalos has been awarded the 2013 EURO Gold Medal prize bestowed by the Association for European Operational Research Societies. This medal is the preeminent European award given to Operations Research (OR) professionals for “scientific contributions that stand the test of time.”
Panos Pardalos has been awarded a prestigious Humboldt Research Award (2018-2019). The Humboldt Research Award is granted in recognition of a researcher’s entire achievements to date – fundamental discoveries, new theories, insights that have had significant impact on their discipline.
Panos Pardalos is also a Member of several Academies of Sciences, and he holds several honorary PhD degrees and affiliations. He is the Founding Editor of Optimization Letters, Energy Systems, and Co-Founder of the International Journal of Global Optimization, Computational Management Science, and Springer Nature Operations Research Forum. He has published over 600 journal papers, and edited/authored over 200 books. He is one of the most cited authors and has graduated 71 PhD students so far. Details can be found in www.ise.ufl.edu/pardalos
Panos Pardalos has lectured and given invited keynote addresses worldwide in countries including Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Singapore, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, and the USA.