A new framework improves kernel Stein discrepancy tests for validating distributions.
problem Improving goodness-of-fit testing for non-normal distributions.
method Introducing Sf-KSD, a unifying framework for studying Stein operators in KSD-based tests.
result Sf-KSD guides the development of new tests and outperforms existing methods.
Sliced kernelized Stein discrepancy improves goodness-of-fit tests and model learning in high dimensions.
problem The curse-of-dimensionality in kernelized Stein discrepancy (KSD).
method Sliced Stein discrepancy and its scalable variants using optimal one-dimensional projections.
result Significantly outperforms KSD and baselines in goodness-of-fit tests and improves model learning.
Much of machine learning relies on comparing distributions with discrepancy measures. Stein's method creates discrepancy measures between two distributions that require only the unnormalized density of one and samples from the other. Stein discrepancies can be combined with kernels to define kernelized Stein discrepanc…
Stein importance sampling is a widely applicable technique based on kernelized Stein discrepancy, which corrects the output of approximate sampling algorithms by reweighting the empirical distribution of the samples. A general analysis of this technique is conducted for the previously unconsidered setting where samples…
New method uses multiple kernels to improve SVGD performance.
problem Sub-optimal performance of single kernel in SVGD.
method Combines multiple kernels to approximate optimal kernel, using Kernelized Stein Discrepancy (KSD) and constructing Multiple Kernel SVGD (MK-SVGD).
result Consistently matches or outperforms competing methods in experiments.
A new sequential test for unnormalized densities.
problem Testing unnormalized densities with adaptive stopping.
method Sequential kernelized Stein discrepancy test, using non-uniform Stein kernels.
result Valid test with asymptotic lower bound for growth.
Improved kernel Stein discrepancy for large-scale data.
problem Efficiently testing probability distributions with kernel methods.
method Nyström approximation to reduce runtime complexity.
result Nyström-based KSD is n \sqrt{n} n -consistent and applicable for large datasets. New research sets the minimax lower bound for KSD estimation at sqrt(n).
problem Estimating goodness-of-fit using Kernel Stein Discrepancy (KSD) on high-dimensional spaces.
method Two complementary results proving the minimax lower bound of KSD estimation.
result The minimax lower bound of KSD estimation is n^(-1/2), indicating exponential difficulty with dimensionality.
Ad-SVGD optimizes kernel parameters for SVGD, improving inference performance.
problem Efficiently approximating posterior distributions in Bayesian inference.
method Adaptive kernel selection for SVGD dynamics.
result Ad-SVGD outperforms standard heuristics in various tasks.
Stein variational gradient descent (SVGD) is a non-parametric inference algorithm that evolves a set of particles to fit a given distribution of interest. We analyze the non-asymptotic properties of SVGD, showing that there exists a set of functions, which we call the Stein matching set, whose expectations are exactly …
A new kernel Stein test assesses fit for variable-length sequential data.
problem Evaluating goodness of fit for varying-dimensional data like text documents of different lengths.
method Extends kernel Stein discrepancy (KSD) to variable-dimension settings by identifying appropriate Stein operators and proposing a novel KSD goodness-of-fit test.
result The proposed test performs well on discrete sequential data benchmarks.
Regularized Stein thinning improves MCMC output approximations.
problem Pathologies in Stein thinning leading to poor approximations.
method Theoretical analysis and regularization to improve KSD.
result Regularized Stein thinning alleviates pathologies and improves efficiency.
A new test assesses how well observed networks fit a specified ERGM model.
problem Testing the goodness of fit for ERGMs with a single network observation.
method Kernel Stein discrepancy combined with a discrete Stein operator for ERGMs, Monte Carlo simulation.
result The test provides theoretical and practical support for assessing ERGM fit.
SRF improves kernel approximation and GP regression performance.
problem Efficient kernel approximation and Bayesian kernel learning in large-scale regression problems.
method Stein variational gradient descent to generate high-quality random features and approximate spectral measure posteriors.
result SRF outperforms traditional approaches in kernel approximation and GP regression.
Paper analyzes SVGD algorithm for non-asymptotic convergence.
problem Optimizing a set of particles to approximate a target probability distribution.
method Finite time analysis of SVGD algorithm, providing descent lemma and convergence rates.
result SVGD algorithm decreases the objective at each iteration and converges to the target distribution.
New method uses kernel Stein discrepancy for measure transport without strict continuity constraints.
problem Minimizing Kullback-Leibler divergence for posterior approximation.
method Proposes minimizing kernel Stein discrepancy instead of Kullback-Leibler divergence.
result Demonstrates consistency and competitiveness of the new method.
Paper proposes kernelized Stein tests for time-to-event data with censoring.
problem Testing goodness-of-fit for time-to-event data with censoring.
method Combining Stein's method and kernelized discrepancies for non-parametric testing.
result Proposed kernelized Stein discrepancy tests perform better than existing methods.
CSD improves goodness-of-fit testing for higher-order dependence.
problem Insensitivity of standard KSDs to higher-order dependence features like tail dependence.
method Introduces Copula-Stein Discrepancy (CSD) that targets dependence geometry directly on copula density.
result CSD is sensitive to differences in tail dependence coefficients and metrizes weak convergence of copula distributions.
Improved convergence rates for Stein Variational Gradient Descent in finite-particle settings.
problem Improving convergence rates for Stein Variational Gradient Descent in finite-particle settings.
method Analyzing the time derivative of relative entropy and splitting it into dominant and smaller parts.
result Finite-particle convergence rates of order 1/\sqrt{N} for Kernelized Stein Discrepancy and Wasserstein-2 metrics.
Uniform-in-time analysis for Stein Variational Gradient Descent across various metrics.
problem Understanding long-term behavior of finite-particle systems in relation to their mean-field limits.
method Developed uniform-in-time propagation-of-chaos results for continuous-time SVGD using cutoff strategies and finite-dimensional theories.
result Uniform-in-time propagation-of-chaos bounds in various metrics, including Langevin kernel Stein discrepancy, Wasserstein-1, and Wasserstein-2 distances.
Approximate Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) offers the promise of more rapid sampling at the cost of more biased inference. Since standard MCMC diagnostics fail to detect these biases, researchers have developed computable Stein discrepancy measures that provably determine the convergence of a sample to its target dist…
SVGD algorithm converges at rate 1/sqrt(log log n) for sub-Gaussian distributions.
problem Approximating a probability distribution with particles.
method Stein variational gradient descent (SVGD) with finite particles and sub-Gaussian target distribution.
result SVGD achieves a convergence rate of 1/sqrt(log log n) for sub-Gaussian distributions.
Stein transport improves Bayesian inference with faster convergence and reduced variance.
problem Efficiently approximating posterior distributions in Bayesian inference.
method A novel Bayesian inference method using Stein transport, which pushes particles along a curve of tempered distributions.
result Stein transport reaches posterior approximations faster and more accurately than Stein variational gradient descent (SVGD).
The paper analyzes rates for a modified gradient descent method using Stein variational gradients.
problem Improving the accuracy of gradient descent methods for complex target distributions.
method Derives finite-particle rates for regularized Stein variational gradient descent (R-SVGD).
result Establishes explicit non-asymptotic bounds for time-averaged empirical measures.
Improved KSD test for better detection of differences in distributions.
problem Low power of KSD test when distributions have same modes but different mixing proportions.
method Perturb the observed sample using Markov transition kernels to improve KSD test power.
result Perturbed KSD test can lead to substantially higher power than the original KSD test.
AgraSSt assesses graph generators using Stein operators and kernel discrepancies.
problem Assessing the quality of graph generators that are implicit or not in explicit form.
method AgraSSt uses Stein operators and kernel discrepancies to assess graph generators, providing interpretable criticisms.
result Theoretical guarantees and empirical validation for various graph models.
Study optimizes KSD estimation from samples, revealing Hilbert-Schmidt vs trace scales.
problem Optimizing estimation of Kernel Stein Discrepancy from samples.
method Identifying and comparing minimax scales for U-statistic and V-statistic.
result Hilbert-Schmidt norm of Stein covariance operator gives optimal scale.
This paper shows equivalence between SVGD and BBVI using kernel gradient flows.
problem Bayesian inference methods and their equivalence.
method Formalizes equivalence between SVGD and BBVI using kernel gradient flows.
result BBVI corresponds precisely to SVGD when using the neural tangent kernel.
New method reduces computational cost for learning stationary diffusions.
problem Learning parameters of stationary diffusions efficiently.
method Stein-type discrepancy (SKDS) for estimating generator expectations.
result SKDS guarantees alignment with target stationary distribution.
Study evaluates RKHS choices for assessing graph models using KSD tests.
problem Effect of RKHS choice on KSD tests for graph model assessment.
method Investigated power performance and computational runtime of KSD tests for ERGMs and synthetic graph generators.
result Different RKHS choices affect KSD test performance and computational runtime.
KSD Descent uses KSD to sample from a target distribution efficiently.
problem Sampling from complex target distributions efficiently.
method Wasserstein gradient flow of KSD, using L-BFGS optimization.
result KSD Descent can sample from a target distribution using a set of particles.
New compression methods handle biased input sequences for more accurate posterior summaries.
problem Handling biased input sequences for accurate posterior summaries.
method Stein kernel thinning, low-rank SKT, Stein recombination, Stein Cholesky.
result Achieves accurate posterior summaries with biased input sequences.
A mean function in reproducing kernel Hilbert space, or a kernel mean, is an important part of many applications ranging from kernel principal component analysis to Hilbert-space embedding of distributions. Given finite samples, an empirical average is the standard estimate for the true kernel mean. We show that this e…
Fourier representation improves KSD for infinite-dimensional data.
problem Applying KSD to infinite-dimensional data.
method Combining measure equations with kernel methods for a Fourier representation of KSD.
result KSD can separate measures in infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces.
New conditions ensure MMDs separate and converge to target distributions.
problem Ensuring MMDs separate and converge to target distributions.
method Deriving new sufficient and necessary conditions for MMDs on separable metric spaces.
result First KSDs that exactly metrize weak convergence to P.
New KSDs control moments in approximations, improving diagnostics and tests.
problem Inability of standard KSDs to control moment convergence.
method Developed alternative diffusion KSDs under sufficient conditions.
result First KSDs to exactly characterize q-Wasserstein convergence.
A new method de-randomizes MCMC dynamics using the Stein operator.
problem Estimating complex target distributions in Bayesian inference.
method De-randomized kernel-based particle samplers that discretize the fiber-gradient Hamiltonian flow.
result GSVGD de-randomizes complex MCMC dynamics, maintaining high sample quality.
NVGD uses neural networks to infer distributions without kernel choices.
problem Challenges in choosing kernel functions for SVGD.
method NVGD parameterizes the witness function of the Stein discrepancy with a neural network.
result NVGD achieves good performance on various inference problems.
Optimizes kernel discrepancies by selecting subsets efficiently.
problem Improving kernel discrepancies for QMC methods.
method Introduces a novel subset selection algorithm for kernel discrepancies.
result Efficiently generates low-discrepancy samples from various distributions.
ASVGD accelerates SVGD for efficient sampling.
problem Slow SVGD in high-dimensional sampling.
method Accelerated gradient flow in a metric space of probability densities, using Nesterov's method and momentum-based updates.
result ASVGD outperforms SVGD and other methods in sampling efficiency.
A new method for kernel tests without data splitting increases power.
problem Lack of power in kernel-based tests due to data splitting.
method Selective inference framework to learn hyperparameters and test on full sample.
result Empirically larger test power without data splitting, regardless of split proportion.
The paper introduces a novel method for training neural network Stein critics with staged L 2 L^2 L 2 -regularization.
problem Learning to differentiate model distributions from observed data in high-dimensional settings.
method Developed a novel staging procedure for L 2 L^2 L 2 regularization over training time, leveraging the advantages of highly-regularized training at early times. result Theoretical guarantees and empirical validation show that the method improves the approximation of the training dynamic by the kernel optimization, leading to faster convergence and better performance.
The study characterizes kernel spaces on hyperspheres, impacting cubature algorithms.
problem Characterizing kernel spaces on hyperspheres for cubature algorithms.
method Characterization of Sobolev spaces and reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces over hyperspheres.
result Direct consequences for kernel cubature and worst-case error rates.
We derive a new discrepancy statistic for measuring differences between two probability distributions based on combining Stein's identity with the reproducing kernel Hilbert space theory. We apply our result to test how well a probabilistic model fits a set of observations, and derive a new class of powerful goodness-o…
Paper analyzes convergence rates of mean-field SVGD method.
problem Establishing quantitative rates of convergence for mean-field SVGD.
method Quantitative analysis of mean-field SVGD dynamics on torus.
result Explicit polynomial convergence rates in L2-norm for Riesz-type kernels.
New Stein operator improves robustness in model inference.
problem Improving robustness in inference for unnormalized models.
method Density-power weighted Stein operator ( γ γ γ -Stein operator). result Robust methods for goodness-of-fit testing and posterior approximation.
Stein variational gradient descent (SVGD) is a particle-based inference algorithm that leverages gradient information for efficient approximate inference. In this work, we enhance SVGD by leveraging preconditioning matrices, such as the Hessian and Fisher information matrix, to incorporate geometric information into SV…
We develop Riemannian Stein Variational Gradient Descent (RSVGD), a Bayesian inference method that generalizes Stein Variational Gradient Descent (SVGD) to Riemann manifold. The benefits are two-folds: (i) for inference tasks in Euclidean spaces, RSVGD has the advantage over SVGD of utilizing information geometry, and …