Articles

Data acquisition serves as a critical component of modern data architecture, with REST API integration emerging as one of the most common approaches for sourcing external data. This study evaluates the efficiency of various methodologies for collecting data via REST APIs and benchmark their performance. It explores how leveraging the Spark distributed computing platform can optimize large scale REST API calls, enabling enhanced scalability and improved processing speeds to meet the demands of high volume data workflows.

High-Performance Computing (HPC) is indispensable for large-scale scientific simulations, but achieving optimal performance on modern supercomputers is increasingly challenging. As HPC systems scale toward exascale, they face escalating complexity in hardware, software, and workloads. Traditional optimization methods (manual tuning and heuristic algorithms) struggle to cope with dynamic workloads and intricate system behaviors. Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques offer a promising approach to address these challenges. This article provides an overview of AI-powered optimization in HPC, focusing on how machine learning and related AI methods enhance performance, efficiency, and scalability of scientific simulations. We survey key AI techniques applied to HPC optimization including machine learning for performance modeling, deep reinforcement learning for resource management, and AI-driven surrogate models for accelerating simulations and illustrate their impact through case studies in domains such as job scheduling and fluid dynamics. We discuss the practical applications of these techniques, highlighting reported performance gains (e.g., substantial reductions in simulation run time and improved resource utilization). We also examine the challenges in integrating AI with HPC (such as training overhead, data movement, and reliability concerns) and outline future directions for research. The convergence of AI and HPC is poised to produce “smart” simulation workflows that intelligently adapt and optimize in real time, pushing the frontiers of scientific computing.

The management of supply chains is increasingly complex. This study provides a comparative analysis of the cost-benefit analysis for managing various risks. It identifies the financial implications of leveraging artificial intelligence in supply chains to better address risk. Empirical results show a business case for managing some sources of risk more proactively facilitated through predictive modeling techniques offered by AI. Across investigation streams, the use of AI results in an average total cost saving ranging from 41,254 to 4,099,617. Findings from our research can be used to inform managers and theorists about the implications of integrating AI technologies to manage risks in the supply chain. Our work also highlights areas for future research. Given the growing interest in studying sub-second forecasting, our research could be a point of departure for future investigations aimed at considering the impact of forecasting horizons such as an intra-day basis. We formulate a conceptual framework that considers how and to what extent performance evaluation metrics vary according to differences in the fidelity of predictive models and factor importance for identifying risks. We also utilize a mixed-method approach to demonstrate the applicability of our ideas in practice. Our results illustrate the financial implications of integrating AI predictive tools with business processes. Results suggest that real-world companies can circumvent inefficiencies associated with trying to manage many classes of risk via the use of AI-enhanced predictive analytics. As managers need to justify investment to top management, our work supports decision-making by providing a means of conducting a trade-off analysis at the tactical level.

This charge-ahead paper suggests that transitioning the automotive industry towards a zero-carbon ecosystem from material to end-of-life can be accomplished through disruptive zero-carbon manufacturing in the broad area of all-electric vehicle production technology. To accomplish zero carbon emission automotive manufacturing in the vehicle assembly domain, future paradigms must converge on the decoupling of carbon dioxide emissions from automobile manufacturing and use the design, processing, and manufacturing conditions. The envisioned zero carbon emission vehicle manufacturing domain consists of two complementary components: (a) making more efficient use of energy and (b) reducing carbon in energy use. This paper presents the status of key scientific and technological advancements to bring the manufacturing model of today to a zero-carbon ecosystem for the entire automotive industry of tomorrow. This paper suggests the groundbreaking application of dynamic and distributed predictive scheduling algorithms and open sensing and visualization technology to meet the zero carbon emission vehicle manufacturing goals. Power-aware high-performance computing clusters have recently become a viable solution for sustainable production. Advances in scalable and self-adaptive monitoring, predictive analytics, timeline-based machine learning, and digital replica of cyber-physical systems are also seen co-evolving in the zero carbon manufacturing future. These methods are inspired by initiatives to decouple gross domestic product growth and energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Stakeholders could co-design and implement shared roadmaps to transition the automotive manufacturing sector with relevant societal and environmental benefits. The automated mobility sector offers a program, an industry-leading example of transforming an automotive production facility to carbon neutrality status. The conclusions from this paper challenge automotive manufacturers to engage in industry offsetting and carbon tax programs to drive continuous improvement and circular vehicle flows via a multi-directional zero-carbon smart grid.

Failure prediction can be achieved through prognostics, which provides timely warnings before failure. Failure prediction is crucial in an effective prognostic system, allowing preventive maintenance actions to avoid downtime. The prognostics problem involves estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) of a system or component at any given time. The RUL is defined as the time from the current time to the time of failure. The goal is to make accurate predictions close to the failure time to provide early warnings. J S Grewal and J. Grewal provide a comprehensive definition of RUL in their paper "The Kalman Filter approach to RUL estimation." A process is a quadruple (XU f P), where X is the state space, U is the control space, P is the set of possible paths, and f represents the transition between states. The process involves applying control values to change the system's state over time.

Generative AI refers to deep learning technology that can automatically produce original text, images, audio, video, and other outputs. With its emerging capabilities, Generative AI can radically change the dynamics of key operational processes in most industries. In this document, we illustrate how it is possible to integrate Generative AI technologies into the Financial Reporting System (FRS) of a corporation. The integration will allow the FRS to deliver on demand concise and lucid insights to its associated users on what is happening in the corporation and different aspects of the corporation performance assessment, such as its liquidity, solvency, profitability, organizational structure, and share buy back decision. The integration will also facilitate the delivery of what-if analyses associated with different strategic and tactical decisions taken by the corporation management, such as capital budgeting and profit distribution decisions. The unique added value of several attributes of these insightful analytics is automating the responses to ongoing requests of the FRS users on the corporation. Generative AI capabilities are rapidly expanding. The integration can be applied not only for the corporate FRS but any FRS at the national or global levels delivered by a central bank or an accounting standards setter. Any of these FRS can be made into a unique “hub” for the integrated Generative AI technologies. An equally innovative possible generalized integration could put any corporate process at the center and its supporting FRS tasks and deliverables in its periphery.

There is a growing body of evidence that the number of individuals suffering from chronic and acute pain is under-reported and the burden of the veteran, aging, athletic, and working populations is rising. Current pain management is limited by our capacity to collaborate with individuals continuing normal daily functions and self-administration of pain treatments outside of traditional healthcare appointments and hospital settings. In this review, the current gap in clinical care for real-time feedback and guidance with pain management decision-making for chronic and post-operative pain treatment is defined. We examine the recent and future applications for predictive analytics of opioid use after surgery and implementing real-time neural networks for personalized pain management goal setting for particular individuals on the path to discharge to normal function. Integration of personalized neural networks with longitudinal data may enable the development of future treatment personalizations paired with electrical simulations.

Advances in web-centric cloud computing have facilitated the establishment of an integrated cloud environment connecting a wide variety of clinical trial stakeholders. A web-centric cloud framework is proposed for real-time monitoring and risk prediction during clinical trials. The framework focuses on identifying relevant datasets, developing a data-management interface, and implementing machine-learning algorithms for data analysis. Detailed descriptions of the data-management interface and the machine-learning processes are provided, targeting active clinical trials with therapeutic uses in cancer. Demonstrations utilize publicly available clinical-trial data from the ClinicalTrials.gov repository. The real-time monitoring and risk prediction systems were assessed by developing five supervised-classification-machine-learning models for trial-status prediction and six unsupervised models for patient-safety-profile assessment, each representing a different phase of the clinical-trial process. All supervised models yielded high accuracy and area-under-the-curve values at the testing stage, while the unsupervised models demonstrated practical applicability. The results underscore the advantages of using the trial-status algorithm, the patient-safety-profile model, and the proposed framework for performing real-time monitoring and risk prediction of clinical trials.

We investigate and analyze the trends and behaviors in credit card fraud attacks and transactions. First, we perform logical analysis to find hidden patterns and trends, then we leverage game-theoretical models to illustrate the potential strategies of both the attackers and defenders. Next, we demonstrate the strength of industry-scale, privacy-preserving artificial intelligence solutions by presenting the results from our recent exploratory study in this respect. Furthermore, we describe the intrinsic challenges in the context of developing reliable predictive models using more stringent protocols, and hence the need for sector-specific benchmark datasets, and provide potential solutions based on state-of-the-art privacy models. Finally, we conclude the paper by discussing future research lines on the topic, and also the possible real-life implications. The paper underscores the challenges in creating robust AI models for the banking sector. The results also showcase that privacy-preserving AI models can potentially augment sharing capabilities while mitigating liability issues of public-private sector partnerships [1].

The growing complexity and variability in healthcare delivery and costs within Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans present significant challenges for improving health outcomes and managing expenditures. Neural networks, a subset of artificial intelligence (AI), have shown considerable promise in optimizing healthcare processes, particularly in predictive modeling, personalized treatment recommendations, and risk stratification. This paper explores the application of neural networks in enhancing health outcomes within the context of Medicare Advantage and Supplement plans. We review how deep learning models can be leveraged to predict patient risk, optimize resource allocation, and identify at-risk populations for preventive interventions. Additionally, we discuss the potential for neural networks to improve claims processing, reduce fraud, and streamline administrative burdens. By integrating various data sources, including medical records, claims data, and demographic information, neural networks enable more accurate and efficient decision-making processes. Ultimately, this approach can lead to better patient care, reduced healthcare costs, and improved satisfaction for beneficiaries of these programs. The paper concludes by highlighting the current limitations, ethical considerations, and future directions for AI adoption in the Medicare Advantage and Supplement sectors.

Self-service business intelligence (BI) platforms have become essential applications for exploring, analyzing, and visualizing business data in various domains. Here, we envisage that the business intelligence platform will perform automatic and autonomous data analytics with minimal to no user interaction. We aim to offer a data-driven, intelligent, and scalable infrastructure that amplifies the advantages of BI systems and discovers hidden and complex insights from very large business datasets, which a business analyst can miss during manual exploratory data analysis. Towards our future vision of autonomous analytics, we propose a collective machine learning model repository with an integration layer for user-defined analytical goals within the BI platform. The proposed architecture can effectively reduce the cognitive load on users for repetitive tasks, democratizing data science expertise across data workers and facilitating a less experienced user community to develop and use advanced machine learning and statistical algorithms.

The growth in demand for rail transportation systems within cities, together with high-speed and long-distance transportation running on a rail network, raises the issues of both rail safety and security. If an accident or an attack occurs, its consequences can be extremely severe. To mitigate the impact of these events, the real-time monitoring of a rail system is required. In that case, the improvements in monitoring can be achieved using artificial intelligence algorithms such as neural networks. Neural networks have been used to achieve real-time incident identification in monitoring the track quality in terms of classifying the graphical outputs of an ultrasonic system working with the rails and track bed, to predict incidents on the rail infrastructure due to transmission channels becoming blocked, and also to attempt scheduling preemptive and preventative maintenance. In terms of forecasting incidents and accidents on board the trains, neural networks have been used to model passenger behavior and optimize responses during a train station evacuation. In tackling the incidents and accidents occurring on rail transport, we contribute with two methodologies to detect anomalies in real-time and identify the level of security risk: at the maintenance level with personnel operating along the railways, and onboard passenger trains. These methodologies were evaluated on real-world datasets and shown to be able to achieve a high accuracy in the results. The results generated from these case studies also reveal the potential for network-wide applications, which could enhance security and safety on railway networks by offering the possibility of better managing network disruptions and more rapidly identifying security issues. The speed and coverage of the information generated through the implementation of these methodologies have implications in utilizing prediction for decision support and enhancing safety and security on board the rail network.

The unrelenting proliferation of data, entwined with the prevalence of mobile devices, has given birth to an unprecedented growth of information obscured by noise. With the Internet of Things and myriad endpoint devices generating vast volumes of sensitive and critical data, organizations are tasked with extracting actionable intelligence from this deluge. Governments and enterprises alike, even under pressure from regulatory boards, have strived to harness the power of data and leverage it to enhance safety and security, maximize performance, and mitigate risks. However, the adversaries themselves have capitalized on the unequal battle of big data and artificial intelligence to inflict widespread chaos. Therefore, the demand for big data analytics and AI/ML for high-fidelity intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance is at its highest. Today, in the cybersecurity realm, the detection of adverse incidents poses substantial challenges due to the sheer variety, volume, and velocity of deep packet inspection data. State-of-the-art detection techniques have fallen short of detecting the latest attacks after a big data breach incident. On the other hand, computational intelligence techniques such as machine learning have reignited the search for solutions for diverse monitoring problems. Recent advancements in AI/ML frameworks have the potential to analyze IoT/edge-generated big data in near real-time and assist risk assessment and mitigation through automated threat detection and modeling in the big data and AI/ML domain. Industry best practices and case studies are examined that endeavor to showcase how big data coupled with AI/ML unlocks new dimensions and capabilities in improved vigilance and monitoring, prediction of adverse incidents, intelligent modeling, and future uncertainty quantification by data resampling correction. All of these avenues lead to enhanced robustness, security, safety, and performance of industrial processes, computing, and infrastructures. A view of the future and how the potential threats due to the misuse of new technologies from bandwidth to IoT/edge, blockchain, AI, quantum, and autonomous fields is discussed. Cybersecurity is again playing out at a pace set by adversaries with low entry barriers and debilitating tools. The need for innovative solutions for defense from the emerging threat landscape, harnessing the power of new technologies and collaboration, is emphasized.

The recent evidence on AI in automotive safety shows the potential to reduce crashes and improve efficiency. Studies used AI techniques like machine learning and predictive analytics models to develop predictive collision avoidance systems. The studies collected data from various sources, such as traffic collision data and shapefiles. They utilized deep learning neural networks and 3D visualization techniques to analyze the data. However, there needs to be more research on AI in school bus and commercial truck safety. This paper explores the importance of AI-driven predictive failure analytics in enhancing automotive safety for these vehicles. It will discuss challenges, required data, technologies involved in predictive failure analytics, and the potential benefits and implications for the future. The conclusion will summarize the findings and emphasize the significance of AI in improving driver safety. Overall, this paper contributes to the field of automotive safety and aims to attract more research in this area.

Factory owners and vehicle manufacturers increasingly opt for predictive analytics to inform their decisions. While predictive analytics have been proven to provide insights into the initiation of maintenance measures before a machine actually fails, the right models and features could have a significant impact on the budget spent and resources allocated. This means that financially oriented questions need to at least partially guide the decisions in the planning phase of data science projects. Data-driven approaches will play an increasingly important role, but only a few of the firms that were confident performed logistic regression models for predictive maintenance. Also, from the available knowledge, data-driven classification models connecting vehicle component failures and the occurrence of delays at the assembly line have not been published. This paper utilizes a real-world data-driven approach using classification models in predictive analytics by vehicle manufacturers and thereby links the financial implications of such data science projects to their results. We expand the existing literature on predictive maintenance and possess a unique dataset of newly launched series of vehicles, presented as-is. Our research context is of interest to researchers and practitioners in the automotive industry that manage and plan the final vehicle assembly with just-in-time principles, factoring the consequences of component failures on the assembly process. Key findings of this paper highlight that while minor tweaking of the models is possible, their potential input in decision-making processes for budget optimization is limited.

Managing supply chains efficiently has become a major concern for organizations. One of the important factors to optimize in supply chain management is logistics. The advent of technology and the increase in data availability allow for the enhancement of the efficiency of logistics in a supply chain. This discussion focuses on the blending of analytics with innovation in logistics to improve the operations of a supply chain. An approach is presented on how predictive analytics can be used to improve logistics operations. In order to analyze big data in logistics effectively, an artificial intelligence computational technique, specifically deep learning, is employed. Two case studies are illustrated to demonstrate the practical employability of the proposed technique. This reveals the power and potential of using predictive analytics in logistics to project various KPI values ahead in the future based on the contemporary data from the logistics operations; sheds light on the innovative technique of employing deep learning through deep learning-based predictive analytics in logistics; suggests incorporating innovative techniques like deep learning with predictive analytics to develop an accurate forecasting technique in logistics and optimize operations and prevent disruption in the supply chain. The network of supply chains has become more complex, necessitating the need for the latest technological advancements. The sectors that have gained a fair amount of attention for the application of technology to optimize their operations are manufacturing, healthcare, aerospace, and the automotive industry. A little attention has been diverted to the logistics sector; many describe how analytics and artificial intelligence can be used in the logistics sector to achieve higher optimization. Currently, significant research has been done in optimizing logistics operations. Nevertheless, with the explosive volume of historical data being produced by the logistics operations of an organization, there is a great opportunity to learn valuable insights from the data accumulated over time for more long-term strategic planning. To develop the logistics operations in an organization, the use of historical data is essential to understand the trends in the operations. For example, regular maintenance planning and resource allocation based on trends are long-term activities that will not affect logistics operations immediately but can affect the business’s strategic planning in the long run. A predictive analysis technique employed on historical data of logistics can narrow down conclusions based on the future trends of logistics operations. Thus, the technique can be used to prevent the disruption of the supply chain.

Healthcare is increasingly recognized as a data-intensive industry. Multi-hospital networks, among other organizations, face mounting operational and governance challenges because of rigid data-integration pipelines that support all data sources and destinations in the network. These pipelines have become difficult to modify, causing them to lag behind the changing needs of the clinical operation. Scalable data-pipeline architectures better support clinical decision making, optimize hospital operations, ease data quality and compliance concerns, and contribute to improved patient outcomes. Meeting scalability goals requires breaking up monolithic data-integration pipelines into smaller decoupled components and aligning service-level agreements of pipeline components and source systems. Parallelization and adoption of distributed data-warehouse technology mitigate the burden of ingesting data into a multi-hospital network. However, latency requirements still warrant the construction of separate pipelines for data ingress from clinical devices, electronic health records, and external laboratory-information systems. Healthcare associations recommend near real-time data availability for a growing list of clinical and operational applications. Mishandling the real-time ingestion of data from clinical devices, in particular, compromises availability and performance. Scalable architectural patterns for real-time streaming Ingestion from heterogeneous data sources, transport processes, and back-end processing structures are detailed.

Scalable architecture principles for data warehousing are introduced to support population health management and predictive analytics. These principles are validated through the design of an accompanying Data Pipeline that allows the integration of non-traditional data sources, the use of real-time data for descriptive analytics dashboards, and support for the generation of supervised Machine Learning models. Several analytical capabilities have been implemented to exemplify the practical application of the principles, including predictive models for Risk Stratification in health care. Optimal cost-effectiveness and performance considerations ensure the practical relevance of the architectural principles and associated Data Pipeline. In recent years, the availability of Low-Cost Data Storage services and the increasing popularity of Streaming technologies opened new possibilities for the storage and processing of Streaming data on a near-real-time basis. These technologies can help Developing Countries in tackling many relevant issues such as Urban Planning, Environmental Management, Migration Policies, etc. A multi-tier approach combining Cloud-based Storage with Data Warehousing and Data Mining technologies can offer an interesting architecture to exploit Big Data related to populations.

Seamless integration of information in organizations promotes not only the operational efficiency but also the quality of decisions made by managers. Real-time decision support systems enable organizations to evaluate organizational changes immediately and ideally gives a hint of problems before they even appear in the organization. Such real time systems are nowadays regarded as the front-line solutions for managing organizations effectively. The technological possibilities seem not to conquer management. For most companies the data is still dealt with traditional solutions, data is collected and reports are generated to evaluate the past occurrences which only gives information on what has happened in the organization. The problem with these non-real-time systems is the reflection of organizational condition very late. These are the common rear-mirror descriptions for what already has been. Managers are receiving information from their organizations too late and often too little to make optimal decisions. Is it not possible to manage operations in real-time? Is real-time decision support really needed? If so, why most organizations still rely on traditional reporting systems.

Global colocation services provision mission-critical infrastructure in secure and reliable facilities, typically within a zero-tolerance SLA environment. Strength of colocation services is the volume of incidents and service requests, and the case management workflow is a critical determinant of the improvement of the end-to-end response capacity and quality. An objective, evidence-based exploration of the principles of colocation operations case management covering design, metrics, and pathways for continuous enhancement has been conducted. A structured inquiry engaged diverse sources: primary and secondary research, case study analysis following global delivery and service operation models, information provided by subject matter experts, and management performance benchmarks proposing KPIs. The investigation results in the articulation of fundamental principles and frameworks that govern the management of incidents and requests in colocation operations. Evidence of the natural path to optimization supports their formulation. Continuous awareness, evaluation, and reinforcement of the principles and frameworks contribute significantly to performance enhancement.