In preference-based reinforcement learning (RL), an agent interacts with the environment while receiving preferences instead of absolute feedback. While there is increasing research activity in preference-based RL, the design of formal frameworks that admit tractable theoretical analysis remains an open challenge. Buil…
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48 results for “Preference-based RL”
Paper shows RLHF can be solved similarly to standard RL.
problem Difficulty of RLHF compared to standard RL.
method Reduction to reward-based RL techniques.
result RLHF can be solved using existing algorithms for reward-based RL.
Proposes a new theoretical framework for PbRL that requires less human feedback.
problem Lack of theoretical work capturing practical PbRL frameworks.
method Introduces a reward-agnostic PbRL framework that acquires exploratory trajectories before human feedback.
result Demonstrates improved sample complexity for learning optimal policies in linear and low-rank MDPs.
Unified algorithm tackles various RL goals like reward-free and preference-based learning.
problem Unified approach to multiple RL learning goals.
method Decision-Estimation Coefficient (DEC) framework.
result Unified algorithm handles various learning goals with a single framework.
Paper tackles offline preference-based RL with human feedback.
problem Offline Preference-based Reinforcement Learning with preference feedback.
method Two-step approach: MLE for reward estimation and distributionally robust planning.
result First guarantee for learning any target policy with polynomial samples.
Paper analyzes finite-time guarantees for preference-based RL.
problem Understanding finite-time guarantees for preference-based RL.
method Combines dueling bandits and policy search to navigate state space.
result Identifies best policy up to accuracy ε with high probability.
Preference-based Reinforcement Learning beyond Pairwise Comparisons: Benefits of Multiple Optionscs.LG
Improved sample efficiency in preference-based RL with multiple comparisons.
problem Sample inefficiency in preference-based reinforcement learning with pairwise comparisons.
method Proposes M-AUPO, an algorithm that selects multiple actions by maximizing average uncertainty within subsets.
result Achieves a suboptimality gap of $O\left( \frac{d}{T} \sqrt{ \sum_{t=1}^T \frac{1}{|S_t|}}
ight)$, improving performance with larger subsets.
SARA uses similarity to learn rewards robustly and adaptively.
problem Robustness to labeler errors and adaptability to diverse feedback formats.
method Contrastive framework that learns latent representations and computes rewards as similarities.
result Strong performance on offline RL benchmarks and diverse applications.
Optimizes crowdsourced preference-based subjective evaluation with online learning.
problem Large-scale evaluation of generative media using crowdsourcing due to combinatorial explosion.
method Automatic optimization of pair combination selections and evaluation volumes with online learning.
result Optimizes evaluation by reducing pair combinations and allocating optimal evaluation volumes.
Meta-Router: Bridging Gold-standard and Preference-based Evaluations in Large Language Model Routingcs.LG
Meta-Router optimizes LLM selection using gold-standard and preference-based data.
problem Training a high-quality LLM router with combined data sources is challenging due to bias and scarcity.
method Developed an integrative causal router training framework to correct bias and improve routing accuracy.
result Our approach delivers more accurate routing and improves the trade-off between cost and quality.
Paper introduces a novel framework for recognizing dynamic ranking structures in preference-based data.
problem Complex and noisy preference-based data often hide underlying homogeneous structures.
method Developed an approach to identify dynamic ranking groups using temporal penalties and spectral estimation. Introduced an objective function for detecting structural changes.
result Consistent recognition of ranking groups and structural changes in preference-based data.
The adoption of automated, data-driven decision making in an ever expanding range of applications has raised concerns about its potential unfairness towards certain social groups. In this context, a number of recent studies have focused on defining, detecting, and removing unfairness from data-driven decision systems. …
New framework estimates treatment effects based on preferences.
problem Estimating treatment effects with flexible outcomes.
method Preference-based Conditional Treatment Effect (CPTE) framework.
result CPTE provides interpretable targets and new identifiability conditions.
Data generation and labeling are usually an expensive part of learning for robotics. While active learning methods are commonly used to tackle the former problem, preference-based learning is a concept that attempts to solve the latter by querying users with preference questions. In this paper, we will develop a new al…
Algorithmic machine teaching studies the interaction between a teacher and a learner where the teacher selects labeled examples aiming at teaching a target hypothesis. In a quest to lower teaching complexity and to achieve more natural teacher-learner interactions, several teaching models and complexity measures have b…
Study finds gender bias in human evaluators and shows how machine learning can mitigate it.
problem Gender bias in human decision-making on micro-lending platforms.
method Structural econometric model and machine learning algorithms trained on real-world data.
result Machine learning algorithms can mitigate both preference-based and belief-based biases.
Study on identifying most preferred policy in bandits with vector-valued rewards.
problem Identifying the most preferred policy in bandits with vector-valued rewards.
method Derive a novel lower bound on sample complexity, design the Preference-based Track and Stop (PreTS) algorithm, and derive a new concentration inequality.
result The sample complexity of PreTS is asymptotically tight.
Efficiently learns reward functions with fewer queries and shorter computation times.
problem Expensive data generation and labeling in robot learning.
method Batch active preference-based learning methods using determinantal point processes (DPP) and heuristic alternatives.
result Our batch active learning algorithm requires only a few queries and computes them in a short amount of time.
In machine learning, the notion of multi-armed bandits refers to a class of online learning problems, in which an agent is supposed to simultaneously explore and exploit a given set of choice alternatives in the course of a sequential decision process. In the standard setting, the agent learns from stochastic feedback …
Novel framework for teaching complexity in machine teaching models.
problem Understanding and comparing teaching models in batch and sequential settings.
method Developed a novel framework using preference functions to capture teaching complexity.
result Identified preference functions leading to linear teaching complexity in sequential models.
f-GRPO and Beyond: Divergence-Based Reinforcement Learning Algorithms for General LLM Alignmentcs.LG
Extends reinforcement learning alignment to scalar rewards, improving math reasoning.
problem Designing reinforcement learning algorithms for general LLM alignment.
method Introduces f-GRPO and f-HAL, estimating f-divergences between reward-aligned and unaligned distributions.
result Improves math reasoning RLVR tasks and mitigates reward hacking.
A new policy for contextual bandits adapts to reward vector shifts.
problem Learning under reward vector shifts with ordered rewards.
method Adaptive-discretization and optimistic elimination policy.
result Established upper bounds on preference-based regret.
Trajectory-level supervision allows efficient offline reinforcement learning.
problem Offline reinforcement learning
method Developing a statistical theory for offline policy optimization from trajectory-level labels
result Proving a high-probability guarantee of order
Many real-world engineering problems rely on human preferences to guide their design and optimization. We present PrefOpt, an open source package to simplify sequential optimization tasks that incorporate human preference feedback. Our approach extends an existing latent variable model for binary preferences to allow f…
Study preference-based reinforcement learning in episodic kernel MDPs.
problem Learning from episodic human preferences in reinforcement learning.
method Developed preference-based value estimation and confidence sets for kernel-based MDPs.
result Proved high-probability regret bounds that converge to optimal policy value.
Paper analyzes online reinforcement learning with outcome-based feedback, providing efficient algorithms and fundamental limits.
problem Assigning credit to actions in reinforcement learning with only endpoint rewards.
method Develops a provably sample-efficient algorithm for online reinforcement learning with general function approximation.
result Achieves sample complexity, characterizing statistical separation between outcome-based and per-step rewards.
Enhances preference learning by incorporating response times into binary choices.
problem Limited information from binary choices about preference strength.
method Combines choices and response times using the EZ diffusion model.
result Response times improve utility estimation for strong preferences.
Paper improves parameter estimation of continuous distributions using preference feedback.
problem Improving parameter estimation of continuous distributions.
method Preference-based M-estimators and deterministic preferences.
result Preference-based estimators achieve an estimation error scaling of O(1/n), significantly faster than sample-only methods.
This work compares human feedback methods for reward learning in bandits.
problem Understanding how human feedback affects the performance of reward learning methods.
method Theoretical comparison of human feedback approaches in offline contextual bandits.
result Human bias and uncertainty in feedback modeling impact the theoretical guarantees of reward learning methods.
Local PBO methods improve preferential BO in high-dimensional problems.
problem Efficiently optimizing preferential BO in high-dimensional settings.
method Adapting high-dimensional BO techniques to preferential feedback.
result Local PBO methods reduce cumulative regret compared to global baselines.
FraPPE efficiently identifies Pareto optimal arms in multi-objective bandits.
problem Efficiently identifying Pareto optimal arms in multi-objective bandits with confidence.
method Deriving structural properties and using Frank-Wolfe optimisation to solve the maxmin optimisation problem.
result FraPPE achieves optimal sample complexity and identifies the exact Pareto set.
New algorithm ensures fairness without sacrificing accuracy.
problem Ensuring fairness in machine learning without harming accuracy.
method Demographic-Agnostic Fairness without Harm (DAFH) algorithm.
result DAFH algorithm achieves higher accuracy than existing methods.
Hybrid RL algorithms improve offline and online RL in linear MDPs.
problem Improving RL performance without single-policy concentrability.
method Developed computationally efficient algorithms for PAC and regret-minimizing RL in linear MDPs.
result Achieved sharper error or regret bounds for linear MDPs.
This work explores representation complexity in RL paradigms, revealing model-based RL as the easiest task.
problem Investigating the representation complexity gap among model-based, policy-based, and value-based RL.
method Demonstrated through analysis of Markov decision processes (MDPs) and introduced new classes of MDPs.
result Representation complexity hierarchy: model-based RL > policy-based RL > value-based RL.
New method defends RL agents from poisoning attacks without MDP knowledge.
problem Poisoning attacks on RL systems can cause learning failures.
method Generic poisoning framework for online RL, Vulnerability-Aware Adversarial Critic Poison (VA2C-P).
result Successfully prevents RL agents from learning good policies or converging to target policies.
Reincarnating RL reuses prior work to accelerate RL progress.
problem Efficiency and accessibility in reinforcement learning for large-scale applications.
method Transfer of learned policies between RL agents or design iterations, focusing on value-based RL.
result Demonstrated gains in performance over tabula rasa RL on various tasks.
Study creates web interface to elicit user-preferred metrics.
problem Eliciting classification metrics that align with user preferences.
method Developed a web-based interface and conducted a user study.
result Users preferred metrics that align with their task and context.
RL tackles decision making in unknown environments, focusing on efficiency and efficacy.
problem Efficiency and efficacy in RL algorithms for sample-starved situations.
method Markov Decision Processes, model-based and value-based approaches, policy optimization.
result Enhanced understanding and improvements in sample and computational efficacies of RL algorithms.
Catalyst.RL accelerates RL research with efficient training.
problem Efficient reinforcement learning training in complex environments.
method Open-source PyTorch framework with distributed training and RL algorithms.
result Catalyst.RL achieved 2nd place in a computationally expensive RL challenge.
Study shows effectiveness of offline RL in online RL tasks.
problem Improving online RL efficiency using offline RL data.
method Formalized framework for incorporating offline RL as online RL subroutines, introducing techniques to enhance effectiveness.
result Effectiveness of the framework depends on task nature, techniques greatly enhance effectiveness, and existing methods are ineffective.
MOReL learns offline RL policies using pessimistic MDPs.
problem Offline RL's data efficiency and velocity.
method Two-step process: learn P-MDP and near-optimal policy in it.
result MOReL is minimax optimal and matches state-of-the-art results.
RL research overhypes potential but lacks deployable solutions.
problem Current RL research overhypes potential and lacks deployable solutions.
method Identifies and critiques current RL research practices.
result Current RL research direction is unlikely to lead to practical, economically viable solutions.
RL applied to finance tasks, highlighting challenges and future directions.
problem Decision-making tasks in finance using RL.
method Meta-analysis of RL applications, identifying challenges and proposing future directions.
result Challenges in RL performance and future research directions.
Reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms allow agents to learn skills and strategies to perform complex tasks without detailed instructions or expensive labelled training examples. That is, RL agents can learn, as we learn. Given the importance of learning in our intelligence, RL has been thought to be one of key compone…
A simple approach to offline RL without additional complexity.
problem Learning from a fixed dataset of actions with value estimation errors.
method Adding a behavior cloning term to the policy update of an online RL algorithm and normalizing the data.
result Matches the performance of state-of-the-art offline RL algorithms with minimal changes.
MiniHack simplifies creation of complex RL environments.
problem Limited availability of challenging RL benchmarks.
method Develops a sandbox framework for easy RL environment design.
result MiniHack enables rapid creation of diverse RL testbeds.
Generative flow networks use RL to learn probabilistic models efficiently.
problem Training generative models with RL for compositional discrete objects.
method Reformulate GFlowNet training as entropy-regularized RL with specific reward and regularizer.
result Entropy-regularized RL can be competitive with established GFlowNet training methods.
Experimentally, it has been observed that humans and animals often make decisions that do not maximize their expected utility, but rather choose outcomes randomly, with probability proportional to expected utility. Probability matching, as this strategy is called, is equivalent to maximum entropy reinforcement learning…