On the role of artificial intelligence in feature oriented multi-criteria decision analysis

Balancing economic and environmental goals in industrial applications is critical amid challenges like climate change. Multi-objective optimization (MOO) and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) are key tools for addressing conflicting objectives. MOO generates viable solutions, while MCDA selects the optimal option based on key performance indicators such as profitability, environmental impact, safety, and efficiency. However, large datasets pose a challenge in selecting the preferred solution during the MCDA process This study introduces a novel machine learning-enhanced MCDA framework and applies the method to analyze decarbonization solutions for a European refinery. A stage-wise dimensionality reduction method, combining AutoEncoders and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), is applied to simplify high-dimensional datasets while preserving key spatial features. Geometric analysis techniques, including Intrinsic Shape Signatures (ISS), are employed to refine the identification of typical configurations for baseline evaluations. Once typical configurations are identified, Large Language Models (LLMs) are utilized to enhance decision-making by providing contextual problem explanations and generating weight proposals for the weighted sum method, ensuring alignment with decision criteria. This framework is designed to support stakeholders in making informed, transparent decisions in complex, uncertain environments.