Abstract: The number of Feynman diagrams which contribute to an n-particle scattering amplitude in quantum chromodynamics grows faster than factorially with the number n, making it difficult to compute the amplitudes explicitly. The construction of more efficient computational methods which also expose otherwise hidden rich mathematical structure has benefited substantially from string theory input. In addition, string theory dualities offer a promising strategy for solving strongly-coupled gauge theories such as QCD. I will review the most recent progress in these directions.