Well he doesn't discuss parachutes... What would be an improvement in this case? I guess one could came up with a smaller parachute if it was optimally folded.

Psychologically I suspect I would feel safer with a regular size parachute vs a super advanced, algorithmically folded origami-parachute :-p

I never got as far as folding my own parachute, but I know they have to be folded somehow, and if it doesn't unfold properly, you die (modulo the reserve). So I'd speculate optimization could have a role in reliability. My memory is hazy, but I may have been told that the method of folding also affects how abruptly and with how much shock it opens.