Convex optimization and its mixed-integer counterparts have developed amazing results. But not all planning problems fit this framework. There is an entire com

Convex optimization and its mixed-integer counterparts have developed amazing results. But not all planning problems fit this framework. There is an entire community dealing with "AI planning". They try to find action-sequences leading to a desired outcome. Every action is defined by preconditions and effects. Most of the benchmark cannot even be sensibly formulated in terms of a mixed-integer optimization problem. This seminal paper is a good entry-point to the field: http://www.jair.org/media/1705/live-1705-2731-jair.pdf http://www.jair.org/media/1705/live-1705-2731-jair.pdf A bit of background research would do good before calling the problem at the center of a very active community "childish".