mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

The Machine Learning for Combinatorial Optimization Competition (ML4CO): Results and Insights

arXiv 2203.02433 ↗First posted 4 Mar 2022cs.LG cs.NE math.OCcited by 39

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Abstract (arXiv)

Combinatorial optimization is a well-established area in operations research and computer science. Until recently, its methods have focused on solving problem instances in isolation, ignoring that they often stem from related data distributions in practice. However, recent years have seen a surge of interest in using machine learning as a new approach for solving combinatorial problems, either directly as solvers or by enhancing exact solvers. Based on this context, the ML4CO aims at improving state-of-the-art combinatorial optimization solvers by replacing key heuristic components. The competition featured three challenging tasks: finding the best feasible solution, producing the tightest optimality certificate, and giving an appropriate solver configuration. Three realistic datasets were considered: balanced item placement, workload apportionment, and maritime inventory routing. This last dataset was kept anonymous for the contestants.

Key facts. Cited by 39 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 11 of its 25 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 4 Mar 2022.

Builds on

11 of 25 references.

References · 11

  1. 2017Learning Combinatorial Optimization Algorithms over Graphscited by 557
  2. 2018Born Again Neural Networkscited by 539
  3. 2018Reinforcement Learning for Solving the Vehicle Routing Problemcited by 327
  4. 2019Exact Combinatorial Optimization with Graph Convolutional Neural Networkscited by 313
  5. 2018Combinatorial Optimization with Graph Convolutional Networks and Guided Tree Searchcited by 182
  6. 2020Solving Mixed Integer Programs Using Neural Networkscited by 178
  7. 2020Hybrid Models for Learning to Branchcited by 95
  8. 2018Learning to Branchcited by 78
  9. 2020Combining Reinforcement Learning and Constraint Programming for Combinatorial Optimizationcited by 63
  10. 2020Ecole: A Gym-like Library for Machine Learning in Combinatorial Optimization Solverscited by 43
  11. 2018Learning to Run challenge solutions: Adapting reinforcement learning methods for neuromusculoskeletal environmentscited by 19

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Cited by year (2026 to 7 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2022: 1; 2023: 7; 2024: 11; 2025: 12; 2026: 8.

39 papers.

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  1. 2024Towards Foundation Models for Mixed Integer Linear Programmingcited by 30
  2. 2024Machine Learning Augmented Branch and Bound for Mixed Integer Linear Programmingcited by 24
  3. 2024MILP-StuDio: MILP Instance Generation via Block Structure Decompositioncited by 17
  4. 2025Apollo-MILP: An Alternating Prediction-Correction Neural Solving Framework for Mixed-Integer Linear Programmingcited by 16
  5. 2024Distributional MIPLIB: a Multi-Domain Library for Advancing ML-Guided MILP Methodscited by 15
  6. 2023Learning to Configure Separators in Branch-and-Cutcited by 14
  7. 2023Promoting Generalization for Exact Solvers via Adversarial Instance Augmentationcited by 12
  8. 2023Learning To Dive In Branch And Boundcited by 10
  9. 2024Learning to Stop Cut Generation for Efficient Mixed-Integer Linear Programmingcited by 8
  10. 2024LLMs for Cold-Start Cutting Plane Separator Configurationcited by 8
  11. 2024Multi-task Representation Learning for Mixed Integer Linear Programmingcited by 6
  12. 2025Riemannian Optimization on Relaxed Indicator Matrix Manifoldcited by 5
27 more
  1. 2023Reinforcement Learning for Node Selection in Branch-and-Boundcited by 4
  2. 2024Model Uncertainty in Evolutionary Optimization and Bayesian Optimization: A Comparative Analysiscited by 4
  3. 2025CoCo-MILP: Inter-Variable Contrastive and Intra-Constraint Competitive MILP Solution Predictioncited by 4
  4. 2026LLM4Branch: Large Language Model for Discovering Efficient Branching Policies of Integer Programscited by 4
  5. 2023Exact Combinatorial Optimization with Temporo-Attentional Graph Neural Networkscited by 3
  6. 2025When GNNs meet symmetry in ILPs: an orbit-based feature augmentation approachcited by 3
  7. 2025RoME: Domain-Robust Mixture-of-Experts for MILP Solution Prediction across Domainscited by 3
  8. 2022Structured Q-learning For Antibody Designcited by 2
  9. 2024An Efficient Unsupervised Framework for Convex Quadratic Programs via Deep Unrollingcited by 2
  10. 2025Are Your Generated Instances Truly Useful? GenBench-MILP: A Benchmark Suite for MILP Instance Generationcited by 2
  11. 2025Principled Data Augmentation for Learning to Solve Quadratic Programming Problemscited by 2
  12. 2025Constraint Matters: Multi-Modal Representation for Reducing Mixed-Integer Linear programmingcited by 2
  13. 2023TreeDQN: Sample-Efficient Off-Policy Reinforcement Learning for Combinatorial Optimizationcited by 1
  14. 2023Threshold-aware Learning to Generate Feasible Solutions for Mixed Integer Programscited by 1
  15. 2024RL-SPH: Learning to Achieve Feasible Solutions for Integer Linear Programscited by 1
  16. 2025BenLOC: A Benchmark for Learning to Configure MIP Optimizerscited by 1
  17. 2026A General Neural Backbone for Mixed-Integer Linear Optimization via Dual Attentioncited by 1
  18. 2026GRIMIP: A General Framework for Instance-Specific Configuration of MIP Solvers Using LLMscited by 1
  19. 2024Graph Coloring Using Heat Diffusioncited by 0
  20. 2025FMIP: Joint Continuous-Integer Flow For Mixed-Integer Linear Programmingcited by 0
  21. 2025Collab-Solver: Collaborative Solving Policy Learning for Mixed-Integer Linear Programmingcited by 0
  22. 2025Feature Augmentation of GNNs for ILPs: Local Uniqueness Sufficescited by 0
  23. 2026Designing faster mixed integer linear programming algorithm via learning the optimal pathcited by 0
  24. 2026SRG: Score-based Relaxation-guided Generation for Mixed Integer Linear Programmingcited by 0
  25. 2026Crystal structure prediction using graph neural combinatorial optimizationcited by 0
  26. 2026GraphBU: MILP Instance Generation with Graph-Native Block Unitscited by 0
  27. 2026DCEmbed: Scalable Optimization over Neural Surrogatescited by 0