Each year, Gurobi surveys commercial users of mathematical optimization from across industries to uncover the latest trends shaping the field of decision intelligence. As 2025 comes to a close, we’re taking a look back on some of the most important insights that emerged from our annual report.
This year’s findings underscored a clear trend: optimization continues to expand across mission-critical use cases and decision-making. It’s become a cornerstone of modern business operations, with organizations scaling their optimization efforts and leveraging them to achieve measurable impact across planning, logistics, and beyond.
Read on to learn more about the state of mathematical optimization in 2025, and what these trends indicate for the future.
One of the most striking developments in 2025 is the expansion of optimization teams. 77% of respondents now work in organizations with more than one optimization professional, up from 68% last year. This growth signals that businesses aren’t just experimenting with optimization—they’re investing in it as a long-term capability.
As optimization’s value becomes more widely recognized, more companies are building dedicated teams to tackle increasingly complex challenges.
For operations researchers, this means more opportunities to apply advanced techniques. For business leaders, it’s a sign that optimization is becoming integral to competitive strategy. Statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics mirror this trend, with an expected 24,100 additional jobs for operations researchers and 82,500 for data scientists expected by 2034.
And with new generative AI technologies, it’s getting easier than ever for business users to leverage the power of mathematical optimization, even without a technical background. For example, tools like Gurobi’s own Gurobot, our always-on expert agent, can help answer optimization questions, identify coding issues, and guide users toward best practices in modeling and solver usage.
Like last year, optimization continues to shine in areas that directly affect operational efficiency and profitability. The top use cases reported by our survey respondents were:
These applications reflect optimization’s critical role in solving high-stakes problems—whether it’s streamlining production or reducing transportation costs. For organizations navigating global supply chain disruptions or rising operational expenses, optimization offers a proven path to resilience.
Our survey also revealed how deeply optimization is embedded in business processes. For example, 69% percent of respondents reported using optimization for daily or real-time decisions, 63% for weekly/monthly planning, and 63% for long-term planning.
This breadth illustrates optimization’s adaptability—serving as a common framework for addressing strategic, tactical, and operational challenges.
When asked about the outcomes of optimization, respondents highlighted several key benefits:
Interestingly, cost reduction has overtaken operational efficiency as the top reported benefit. In an environment where margins are tight and volatility is high, this shift underscores optimization’s role as a critical lever for financial performance.
The infographic below provides a snapshot of these findings, but there’s much more to uncover.
From industry-specific trends to emerging technologies shaping the future of optimization, the full State of Mathematical Optimization 2025 report offers a comprehensive view of where the field is headed.
Ready to dive deeper? Download the complete report to learn how optimization is transforming industries—and how your organization can stay ahead.
Director of Product Marketing
Director of Product Marketing
Silvana Quintero brings more than 13 years of experience to the company. Before joining Gurobi, Silvana worked at Minitab (predictive analytics software vendor), Anixter (global technology distributor), and Oracle (Engineered systems, enterprise, and software products) in the design, planning, implementation, and execution of marketing campaigns, sales enablement programs, and demand generation strategies with customers, partners, and distributors. As an Electronic Engineer with an EMBA from the Loyola University of Chicago, Silvana pairs her passion for technology with business, helping organizations to create profitable partnerships and measurable marketing strategies that enable companies to deliver the most value to customers. In her spare time, Silvana loves traveling with her family, reading, dancing, and water sports.
Silvana Quintero brings more than 13 years of experience to the company. Before joining Gurobi, Silvana worked at Minitab (predictive analytics software vendor), Anixter (global technology distributor), and Oracle (Engineered systems, enterprise, and software products) in the design, planning, implementation, and execution of marketing campaigns, sales enablement programs, and demand generation strategies with customers, partners, and distributors. As an Electronic Engineer with an EMBA from the Loyola University of Chicago, Silvana pairs her passion for technology with business, helping organizations to create profitable partnerships and measurable marketing strategies that enable companies to deliver the most value to customers. In her spare time, Silvana loves traveling with her family, reading, dancing, and water sports.
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