Inventory Quantity vs. Location: Two Separate Problems

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This post details the architectural decision to decouple inventory quantity and location optimization within C3 AI Inventory Optimization. It explains the rationale for separating these two distinct problems, highlighting the benefits of specialized models for each. For quantity optimization, it describes the use of single-echelon stochastic optimization, modeling inventory evolution and applying optimization to determine reorder parameters (safety stock, reorder point, min-max levels) by balancing cost against service levels under uncertainty. For location optimization, it outlines the application of three AI-based approaches: a guaranteed-service model (GSM) for optimal safety stock placement under bounded demand and guaranteed service time; stochastic multi-echelon inventory optimization with deep neural networks (SMEIO DNN) to learn replenishment policies from demand and lead-time distributions; and joint inventory simulation with particle swarm optimization (MEIO PSO) for simulating inventory across the network and refining buffer solutions. This architectural split allows for more specialized and accurate modeling for each aspect of inventory management.