Deep neural networks work well at approximating complicated functions when provided with data and trained by gradient descent methods. At the same time, there is a vast amount of existing functions that programmatically solve different tasks in a precise manner eliminating the need for training. In many cases, it is po…
New method optimizes black-box functions using generative models and Wasserstein distance.
problem Optimizing black-box functions with stochastic responses in high dimensions.
method Deep generative surrogate models and Wasserstein distance for uncertainty estimation.
result Method outperforms state-of-the-art methods in robustness to function shape and stochasticity.
P-BO reduces black-box adversarial attacks by 10x with Bayesian optimization and function prior.
problem Efficiently generating adversarial examples against black-box models.
method Prior-guided Bayesian Optimization (P-BO) with a function prior initialized from a surrogate model.
result Significantly reduces the number of queries needed for adversarial attacks.
Paper introduces DNTs to clone black-box models efficiently.
problem Cloning functionality of black-box models.
method Deep Neural Trees (DNTs) trained with active learning.
result Trained DNT can clone task-specific behavior of black-box models.
IReEn reveals functionality of black-box agents via iterative neural synthesis.
problem Revealing the functionality of a black-box agent without privileged information.
method Iterative refinement of candidate programs using neural program synthesis.
result The approach finds a functional equivalent program in 78% of cases, outperforming state-of-the-art.
Bayesian optimization tackles non-smooth tuning problems.
problem Optimizing black-box functions with non-smoothness and limited samples.
method Proposed a clustered Gaussian process (cGP) model for non-smooth optimization.
result Improvement of up to 90% in performance for repetitive experiments.
A new method for optimizing black-box problems with constraints.
problem Optimizing black-box systems with multiple performance criteria and constraints.
method Developed a novel constrained Bayesian optimization approach based on the knowledge gradient method.
result A new acquisition function that balances optimality and feasibility.
Paper proposes a new black-box attack approach to minimize visual distortion.
problem Constructing adversarial examples that minimize visual distortion in a black-box threat model.
method Learning the noise distribution of adversarial examples to approximate the gradient of a non-differentiable loss function.
result The proposed attack results in much lower visual distortion compared to state-of-the-art black-box attacks.
LA-MCTS learns search space partition for black-box optimization using Monte Carlo Tree Search.
problem High-dimensional black-box optimization challenges.
method LA-MCTS recursively splits search space into regions with high/low function values, learns nonlinear partition and local models online.
result LA-MCTS achieves strong performance in black-box optimization and reinforcement learning benchmarks, especially for high-dimensional problems.
Efficiently optimizes boolean functions using multilinear polynomials and exponential weight updates.
problem Optimizing boolean functions over the boolean hypercube with high computational cost.
method Proposes a computationally efficient algorithm using multilinear polynomials and exponential weight updates.
result Improves computational time up to several orders of magnitude compared to state-of-the-art algorithms.
DiBO uses diffusion models to optimize high-dimensional black-box functions efficiently.
problem Optimizing high-dimensional and complex black-box functions efficiently.
method DiBO iterates two stages: training a diffusion model and casting candidate selection as posterior inference.
result DiBO outperforms state-of-the-art baselines across synthetic and real-world tasks.
Bayesian optimization (BO) is a successful methodology to optimize black-box functions that are expensive to evaluate. While traditional methods optimize each black-box function in isolation, there has been recent interest in speeding up BO by transferring knowledge across multiple related black-box functions. In this …
Optimizes target value in stochastic black box functions.
problem Finding input to minimize expected squared error to target value.
method Derives acquisition functions for expected improvement, probability of improvement, and lower confidence bound, assuming Gaussian aleatoric effects.
result Acquisition functions can outperform classical Bayesian optimization under certain conditions.
Recently, neural networks trained as optimizers under the "learning to learn" or meta-learning framework have been shown to be effective for a broad range of optimization tasks including derivative-free black-box function optimization. Recurrent neural networks (RNNs) trained to optimize a diverse set of synthetic non-…
Method reformulates constrained optimization as latent space inference.
problem Optimizing black-box functions with hard constraints.
method Posterior inference in latent space using flow-based models and diffusion models.
result Method achieves superior performance across various tasks.
Bayesian optimization outperformed random search in machine learning hyperparameter tuning challenge.
problem Optimizing hyperparameters of machine learning models using derivative-free methods.
method Bayesian optimization vs. random search on real datasets.
result Bayesian optimization significantly outperformed random search in held-out objective functions.
Interpretable machine learning has become a strong competitor for traditional black-box models. However, the possible loss of the predictive performance for gaining interpretability is often inevitable, putting practitioners in a dilemma of choosing between high accuracy (black-box models) and interpretability (interpr…
New algorithms improve on consistency and robustness in convex function chasing with black-box advice.
problem Minimizing cost in normed vector space with black-box advice for convex function chasing.
method Two novel algorithms: INTERP and BDINTERP, exploiting convexity to achieve improved consistency and robustness.
result BDINTERP achieves near-optimal consistency-robustness trade-off for α-polyhedral cost functions.
Driven by an increasing need for model interpretability, interpretable models have become strong competitors for black-box models in many real applications. In this paper, we propose a novel type of model where interpretable models compete and collaborate with black-box models. We present the Model-Agnostic Linear Comp…
Black-box optimization is primarily important for many compute-intensive applications, including reinforcement learning (RL), robot control, etc. This paper presents a novel theoretical framework for black-box optimization, in which our method performs stochastic update with the implicit natural gradient of an exponent…
New method wraps black-box classifiers to reduce bias.
problem Reduction of bias in black-box predictions.
method Post-processing with α-trees and boosting algorithms.
result Demonstrated effectiveness in reducing bias across multiple fairness metrics.
Method optimizes diffusion model generation to meet user preferences.
problem Optimizing diffusion model generation with only black-box target scores.
method Covariance-adaptive sequential optimization algorithm for black-box optimization.
result Proves superior performance in achieving better target scores.
We address challenges in collaborative black-box optimization through three frameworks.
problem Challenges in distributed experimentation, heterogeneity, and privacy in black-box optimization.
method Three unifying frameworks: global, local, and predictive.
result Shift from descriptive/predictive to prescriptive federated learning in black-box optimization.
RAAL optimizes black box function optimization with multifidelity models.
problem Time-consuming and unfeasible black box optimization.
method Resource Aware Multifidelity Active Learning (RAAL) for efficient optimization.
result RAAL optimizes black box function optimization with multifidelity models.
GONs improve predictions of maximizers from noisy black-box functions.
problem Estimating maximizers of noisy black-box functions.
method Global Optimization Networks (GONs) composed of invertible and unimodal functions.
result GONs outperform convex fits, GPR, and DNNs in prediction accuracy.
In this paper, we study the problem of constrained robust (min-max) optimization ina black-box setting, where the desired optimizer cannot access the gradients of the objective function but may query its values. We present a principled optimization framework, integrating a zeroth-order (ZO) gradient estimator with an a…
A tutorial on optimizing complex functions with partial knowledge.
problem Optimizing functions with limited or partial information.
method Grey-box Bayesian optimization, blending black-box and white-box approaches.
result Improves optimization performance by leveraging internal information.
Adapts example weights to optimize black-box metrics.
problem Optimizing metrics defined by black-box functions.
method Adaptive example weighting and iterative post-shifting.
result Improves classification performance compared to baselines.
Spanning attack improves black-box attacks with unlabeled data.
problem Query inefficiency in black-box attacks due to high input space dimensionality.
method Proposes spanning attack by constraining adversarial perturbations in a low-dimensional subspace via an auxiliary unlabeled dataset.
result Significantly improves query efficiency of black-box attacks.
Bayesian Algorithm Execution uses mutual information to infer properties of black-box functions efficiently.
problem Estimating computable properties of expensive black-box functions with limited evaluations.
method Sequentially choosing queries that maximize mutual information with respect to the algorithm's output.
result InfoBAX reduces query counts by up to 500 times compared to the original algorithm.
New research shows many recent defenses against adversarial examples are ineffective against black-box attacks.
problem The robustness of recent defenses against adversarial examples is insufficient, especially against black-box attacks.
method Evaluation of nine defenses on two black-box adversarial models and six attacks on CIFAR-10 and Fashion-MNIST datasets.
result Most recent defenses provide only marginal improvements in security (<25%) compared to undefended networks. Bayesian optimisation tackles expensive black-box functions with constraints.
problem Optimizing constrained black-box functions in machine learning and simulation.
method Proposes a new Knowledge Gradient acquisition function for constrained Bayesian optimisation.
result Demonstrates superior performance over four state-of-the-art constrained Bayesian optimisation algorithms.
In this paper, we consider the problem of black box continuous submodular maximization where we only have access to the function values and no information about the derivatives is provided. For a monotone and continuous DR-submodular function, and subject to a bounded convex body constraint, we propose Black-box Contin…
Efficiently controls unknown linear systems with black-box interactions.
problem Controlling an unknown linear dynamical system from black-box interactions.
method First efficient algorithm with sublinear regret, using robust system identification.
result Resolves open problem on stochastic LQR and black-box LQR control.
New estimator optimizes black-box model errors in semiparametric estimation.
problem How nuisance estimation errors affect low-dimensional target parameters in semiparametric models.
method Proposed a new estimator achieving a sharper rate of convergence.
result The first-order stochastic error of nuisance estimation can be eliminated.
Develops causal explanations for black-box classifiers.
problem Creating understandable explanations for complex models.
method Generative model with information-theoretic measures of causal influence.
result Learned latent factors influence classifier outputs.
New method improves HPO interpretability without sacrificing performance.
problem Difficulty in understanding HPO algorithms due to black-box nature.
method Coupling Bayesian optimization with Bayesian Algorithm Execution.
result More reliable IML explanations without compromising optimization performance.
Trieste optimizes black-box functions using TensorFlow for efficient decision-making.
problem Optimizing complex, black-box functions efficiently.
method Bayesian optimization and active learning with TensorFlow integration.
result Trieste enables efficient exploration of black-box functions.
Extends batch active learning to non-differentiable models.
problem Efficiently training machine learning models on large, initially unlabelled datasets.
method Black-box batch active learning for regression tasks that relies solely on model predictions.
result Achieves strong performance on regression datasets compared to white-box approaches for deep learning models.
Unified approach for sequence design combining likelihood-free inference and black-box optimization.
problem Designing biological sequences efficiently and accurately.
method Unified probabilistic framework integrating likelihood-free inference and black-box optimization.
result Previous optimization methods can be adapted and new algorithms proposed within this framework.
ODS improves adversarial attacks by maximizing output diversity.
problem Efficiency and effectiveness of adversarial attacks, especially black-box attacks.
method Output Diversified Sampling (ODS) that maximizes diversity in model outputs.
result ODS reduces the number of queries needed for black-box attacks on ImageNet by a factor of two.
MPHD transfers knowledge across different domains for Bayesian optimization.
problem Optimizing functions with unknown or diverse domains.
method MPHD uses neural nets to map domain-specific contexts to GP specifications, enabling transfer learning across heterogeneous search spaces.
result MPHD improves black-box function optimization performance on diverse domains.
NP-Attack reduces query counts for black-box adversarial attacks.
problem Efficiency of black-box adversarial attacks is low.
method Uses Neural Process to characterize image structure and find adversarial examples.
result NP-Attack significantly decreases query counts.
Black box machine learning models are currently being used for high stakes decision-making throughout society, causing problems throughout healthcare, criminal justice, and in other domains. People have hoped that creating methods for explaining these black box models will alleviate some of these problems, but trying t…
New method improves black-box attacks using pre-trained models.
problem Efficiently attacking black-box models with limited information.
method EigenBA algorithm leveraging pre-trained white-box model's Jacobian matrix.
result Optimal perturbations are related to right singular vectors of Jacobian matrix.
Understanding how a learned black box works is of crucial interest for the future of Machine Learning. In this paper, we pioneer the question of the global interpretability of learned black box models that assign numerical values to symbolic sequential data. To tackle that task, we propose a spectral algorithm for the …
PCTS optimizes noisy, delayed, multi-fidelity feedbacks in black-box optimization.
problem Optimizing unknown functions with noisy, delayed, and multi-fidelity feedbacks.
method ProCrastinated Tree Search (PCTS) with DUCB1 and DUCBV algorithms.
result PCTS achieves better regret bounds for delayed, noisy, and multi-fidelity feedbacks.
Pseudo-Bayesian Optimization improves black-box function optimization using simple local regression.
problem Optimizing expensive black-box functions with uncertainty quantification.
method Axiomatic framework for convergence guarantees, combined with simple local regression and randomized prior.
result Empirically superior algorithms outperform state-of-the-art benchmarks in various applications.