Ant Colony Optimization is inspired by how real ants find the shortest paths to food. In this method, virtual ants roam through possible solutions, leaving pheromone trails. Stronger trails attract more ants, suggesting better solutions. Over time, the best paths have more pheromones, guiding ants towards them. It's great for complex problems like routing or scheduling, where finding the best route matters. It's like following a trail to the best answer based on the collective wisdom of many trials.
