FICO Achieves Massive Speedups in Optimization Using NVIDIA GPUs

Key Terms

gpu-accelerated technical

Using graphics processing units (GPUs) to run compute‑heavy tasks much faster than standard central processors by handling many small operations at once. For investors, GPU‑acceleration can shorten time to insight and lower costs for advanced workloads like artificial intelligence, large‑scale data analysis, or simulations, potentially boosting product performance, enabling new services, and improving competitive position—think switching from a bicycle to a high‑speed train for moving large data loads.

hybrid gradient algorithm technical

A hybrid gradient algorithm is a type of computer method that finds better solutions by combining a slope‑following approach (which nudges a model in the direction that reduces error) with other techniques that help escape traps or speed up learning. For investors, it matters because these methods can produce more accurate predictions or faster software development, lowering costs and improving a company’s competitive edge—like using both a compass and a fast car to reach a destination sooner and more reliably.

nvidia cuda-x technical

NVIDIA CUDA-X is a packaged set of software libraries, tools and frameworks that let applications tap NVIDIA’s specialized processors to run heavy computing tasks such as artificial intelligence, large-scale data analysis and scientific simulations. It matters to investors because this software makes the hardware more useful and “sticky” — like an app store that encourages people to keep using a particular phone — which can boost demand for chips, deepen customer relationships and support recurring revenue streams.

mixed-integer programming technical

A mathematical method for finding the best possible decision when some variables must be whole numbers—like whether to buy an asset or how many units to hold—while others can be fractional. It combines continuous choices (amounts that can be divided) with discrete choices (yes/no or whole-unit decisions) under constraints such as budget or risk. Investors use it to build portfolios, schedule trades, or allocate resources more efficiently when real-world choices are indivisible, much like planning a shopping list under a fixed budget where some items must be bought in whole units.

global solver technical

A global solver is computer software that searches for the best possible solution across all options in a complex problem, rather than stopping at a local or partial answer. For investors, it matters because models that use a global solver are less likely to be misled by suboptimal outcomes—like choosing a nearby hill instead of the tallest mountain—so forecasts, risk estimates and strategy optimizations tend to be more reliable.

nvidia cuda compute capability technical

NVIDIA CUDA Compute Capability is a version number that describes what features and instructions a graphics processing unit (GPU) supports for programs written to run on that GPU. Think of it like a car’s model-year feature list: higher numbers mean newer capabilities, better performance options and broader software compatibility, which matters to investors because it affects how future-proof a company’s hardware is for demanding markets like AI and data centers.

FICO® Xpress 9.8 leverages NVIDIA AI infrastructure and CUDA-X to accelerate the hybrid gradient algorithm up to 50x

BOZEMAN, Mont.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- FICO (NYSE: FICO):

Highlights:

• FICO Xpress 9.8 features a GPU-accelerated implementation of the hybrid gradient algorithm, yielding up to 50x speedups for very large optimization problems
• FICO Xpress Optimization has the widest breadth of industry-leading optimization algorithms and technologies
• A complimentary 60-day trial license of FICO Xpress 9.8 is available

Global analytics software leader FICO (NYSE: FICO) today announced that the latest release of its FICO® Xpress Optimization suite includes the integration of NVIDIA CUDA-X libraries to help solve massive computational problems in a fraction of the time. FICO Xpress 9.8 features a GPU-accelerated implementation of the hybrid gradient algorithm, yielding up to 50x speedups.

The hybrid gradient algorithm is useful for getting faster solutions to extremely large, dense problems — those featuring tens or hundreds of millions of non-zeros in the problem matrix — due to its lower memory overhead. NVIDIA CUDA-X is a suite of GPU-accelerated libraries and frameworks for building applications that deliver dramatically higher performance than CPU alternatives across data processing, AI, and high-performance computing.

"With more than 40 years of continuous innovation in the optimization solver industry, FICO Xpress continues to evolve by integrating cutting-edge technologies that address our customers' need for solving larger, more complex problems at unprecedented speed," said Bill Waid, chief product and technology officer at FICO. "The GPU-accelerated hybrid gradient algorithm represents an important addition to Xpress's comprehensive suite of optimization algorithms, enabling organizations to solve large-scale problems faster and unlock new possibilities for data-driven decision making."

“NVIDIA CUDA-X libraries and accelerated computing can help enterprises solve the world's largest, most complex optimization problems,” said Alex Fender, Director of Decision Optimization at NVIDIA. “The ecosystem has quickly embraced GPU solvers, and by leveraging NVIDIA CUDA-X libraries, FICO Xpress 9.8 is helping customers achieve breakthroughs in speed and scale, transforming operational efficiency and decision making.”

GPU acceleration for the hybrid gradient algorithm is a beta feature in FICO® Xpress 9.8, which is available now. Any NVIDIA GPU with NVIDIA CUDA Compute Capability 7.5 or later is supported. For more information, see here.

The new GPU-accelerated algorithm is just one of a much broader set of industry-leading optimization algorithms available to FICO® Xpress users. FICO Xpress 9.8 also features performance enhancements to the mixed-integer programming engine, making it 14% faster overall than last year and 24% faster on models that require at least 100 seconds; and to the global solver, which is now 68% faster overall and 5.3x faster for models that take at least 100s. Operations research professionals can learn more in the Optimization Community.

FICO® Xpress Optimization enables businesses to rapidly deploy advanced analytic models into end-user applications powered by robust and scalable optimization engines. Users formulate models in easy-to-understand terms to account for trade-offs and sensitivities, share results with peers, run what-if scenario analyses, and compare the impact of different strategies to optimize decision workflows. It includes FICO® Xpress Solver, which contains the broadest set of industry-leading optimization algorithms and technologies to solve linear, mixed integer, and nonlinear problems, helping users solve their most difficult and complex challenges. FICO offers a 60-day trial version of the FICO Xpress Optimization Suite.

About FICO

FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction, and growth for businesses in financial services, insurance, telecommunications, health care, retail, and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 80 countries do everything from protecting four billion payment cards from fraud to improving financial inclusion to increasing supply chain resiliency. The FICO® Score, used by 90% of top US lenders, is the standard measure of consumer credit risk in the US and has been made available in over 40 other countries, improving risk management, credit access, and transparency.

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Source: FICO