AI as a Collaborative Partner in Decision Modelling

AI is rapidly evolving from a passive tool to an active collaborator, with growing interest in agentic AI that not only provides insights but takes action. In decision sciences, where structuring complex models can be time-intensive, AI has the potential to accelerate the process while keeping human expertise at the center. This talk explores Assista, an AI assistant embedded in Analytica, as an early demonstration of what’s to come—an AI that helps users construct influence diagrams, enhance clarity around assumptions and uncertainties, and navigate documentation through an interactive, collaborative experience. Assista offers a glimpse into how AI can enhance decision modeling, working alongside analysts to streamline workflows, uncover insights, and reduce barriers to entry. Through demonstrations, we’ll examine the emerging role of AI in decision analysis and what the near future may hold for AI-driven decision support.

Lonnie Chrisman is the Chief Technical Officer of Lumina Decision Systems, where he leads the development of Analytica and Assista, innovative tools that transform decision-making through visual modeling and AI assistance. With a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning from Carnegie Mellon University, Lonnie has over 37 years of experience in AI, probabilistic reasoning, and decision analysis. His work spans foundational contributions to Bayesian networks, probabilistic planning, and neural machine translation. A passionate advocate for advancing decision science, Lonnie’s focus is on how AI-driven tools enhance decision-making processes by making complexity accessible and actionable.