Introducing OptiMind, a research model designed for optimization

Most optimization workflows start the same way: a written problem description. Notes, requirements, and constraints are captured in plain language long before any solver is involved. Translating that description into a formal mathematical model—objectives, variables, and constraints—is often the slowest and most expertise intensive step of the process.

OptiMind was created to close that gap. Developed by Microsoft Research, OptiMind is a specialized language model trained to transform natural language optimization problems directly into solver ready mathematical formulations.

Designed for open source exploration on Hugging Face

OptiMind is now available as an experimental model on Hugging Face, making it directly accessible to the open source community. Researchers, developers, and practitioners can experiment with OptiMind in the Hugging Face playground, explore how natural language problem descriptions translate into mathematical models, and integrate the model into their own workflows.

By lowering the barrier to entry for advanced optimization modeling, OptiMind enables faster experimentation, iteration, and learning—whether you’re prototyping research ideas or building optimization pipelines powered by open tools and libraries.

Where OptiMind helps most

OptiMind can be used in scenarios where formulation effort, not solver performance, is the primary bottleneck. Example use cases include:

• Supply chain network design
• Manufacturing and workforce scheduling
• Logistics and routing problems with real world constraints
• Financial portfolio optimization

In each case, reducing the friction between problem description and model formulation helps teams reach actionable solutions faster and with greater confidence.

View evaluation and benchmarks here

Getting started

OptiMind is available today as an experimental model:

• Try it on Hugging Face to explore and experiment with the model
• Use Microsoft Foundry for experimentation and integration
• Learn here by reading the Microsoft Research blog for technical details and evaluation results

OptiMind helps turn written ideas into solver ready models faster, making advanced optimization more accessible to a broader community.