Derives time-averaged active inference from control principles.
problem Finite-horizon or discounted-surprise problems in active inference.
method Derives infinite-horizon, average-surprise active inference from optimal control principles.
result Unified objective functional for sensorimotor control.
This work frames active inference through control as inference, offering robust control algorithms.
problem Active inference framework lacks practical sensorimotor control algorithms.
method Frame active inference through control as inference, presenting trajectory optimization as inference.
result AI may be framed as partially-observed CaI when the cost function is defined in observation states.
Active inference uses machine learning to prioritize data labeling for more efficient statistical inference.
problem Efficiently collecting data points for statistical inference with limited labels.
method A machine learning-assisted approach that identifies uncertain data points for labeling.
result Achieves the same level of accuracy with fewer samples, resulting in smaller confidence intervals and more powerful p-values.
Developing active inference agents for edge devices with limited resources.
problem Creating effective active inference agents on edge devices with limited computational resources.
method Introducing a software toolbox to accelerate the development of active inference agents by non-experts.
result Accelerates the democratization of active inference agents for edge devices.
Active inference minimizes expected free energy for optimal behavior.
problem Understanding and optimizing behavior in complex systems.
method Combines Bayesian decision theory, optimal Bayesian design, and the free energy principle.
result Active inference emerges as a unified framework for information-seeking, utility maximization, and goal-directed behavior.
New method improves active statistical inference by reducing noise.
problem Inaccurate uncertainty estimates in active sampling lead to noisy results.
method Robust sampling strategies that interpolate between uniform and active sampling based on uncertainty scores.
result The robust sampling ensures that the estimator is never worse than uniform sampling and usually outperforms active inference.
Active inference framework improves U-statistic estimation efficiency.
problem Costly acquisition of labels for U-statistics. method Active inference framework with optimal sampling rule.
result Substantial gains in estimation efficiency over baseline methods.
Deep active inference learns policies from sensory inputs.
problem Learning policies in partially observable domains.
method Optimizes expected free energy with a variational autoencoder.
result Comparable or better performance than deep Q-learning.
Active inference is a process theory of the brain that states that all living organisms infer actions in order to minimize their (expected) free energy. However, current experiments are limited to predefined, often discrete, state spaces. In this paper we use recent advances in deep learning to learn the state space an…
Post-ADC inference corrects bias in statistical inference after active data collection.
problem Bias in inference after active data collection.
method Post-ADC inference framework that corrects bias from both ADC process and data-driven target construction.
result Valid inference for data collected by SMBO methods like GP-UCB and TPE.
In reinforcement learning (RL), agents often operate in partially observed and uncertain environments. Model-based RL suggests that this is best achieved by learning and exploiting a probabilistic model of the world. 'Active inference' is an emerging normative framework in cognitive and computational neuroscience that …
Deep active inference agents learn complex environments using Monte-Carlo methods.
problem Understanding and modeling biological intelligence in complex, continuous state-spaces.
method Neural architecture for deep active inference agents using multiple forms of Monte-Carlo sampling.
result Deep active inference agents can learn environmental dynamics and plan future actions.
ALINE optimizes Bayesian inference and data acquisition by strategically querying informative data.
problem Strategic acquisition of informative data for Bayesian inference in challenging tasks.
method Unified framework combining amortized Bayesian inference and active data acquisition using a transformer architecture trained via reinforcement learning.
result ALINE delivers both instant and accurate inference along with efficient selection of informative points.
Proposes an active RBI framework using Rényi information measures for more informed decision-making.
problem Optimal latent variable estimates in real-time settings with streaming noisy observations.
method Unified inference and query selection steps through Rényi entropy and α-divergence; new objective called Momentum for exploration.
result Analytically demonstrates superior performance compared to conventional methods like mutual information.
We consider active maximum a posteriori (MAP) inference problem for Hidden Markov Models (HMM), where, given an initial MAP estimate of the hidden sequence, we select to label certain states in the sequence to improve the estimation accuracy of the remaining states. We develop an analytical approach to this problem for…
New comparison shows differences in how value is incorporated in AIF and CAI.
problem Clarifying the relationship between Active Inference and Control-as-Inference.
method Formal comparison of AIF and CAI frameworks.
result Primary difference is how value is incorporated into generative models.
The central tenet of reinforcement learning (RL) is that agents seek to maximize the sum of cumulative rewards. In contrast, active inference, an emerging framework within cognitive and computational neuroscience, proposes that agents act to maximize the evidence for a biased generative model. Here, we illustrate how i…
Sensitive inferences and user re-identification are major threats to privacy when raw sensor data from wearable or portable devices are shared with cloud-assisted applications. To mitigate these threats, we propose mechanisms to transform sensor data before sharing them with applications running on users' devices. Thes…
As part of daily monitoring of human activities, wearable sensors and devices are becoming increasingly popular sources of data. With the advent of smartphones equipped with acceloremeter, gyroscope and camera; it is now possible to develop activity classification platforms everyone can use conveniently. In this paper,…
Paper introduces active and passive causal inference techniques.
problem Causal inference in machine learning.
method Categorizes causal inference techniques into active and passive approaches.
result Describes and discusses various causal inference methods.
Agent uses message passing to optimize robot navigation, balancing exploration and exploitation.
problem Optimizing robot navigation in continuous-valued spaces with uncertainty.
method Autoregressive active inference agent using message passing on a factor graph.
result Agent modulates action based on predictive uncertainty, leading to better model of dynamics.
Uncertainty estimation in deep neural networks is essential for designing reliable and robust AI systems. Applications such as video surveillance for identifying suspicious activities are designed with deep neural networks (DNNs), but DNNs do not provide uncertainty estimates. Capturing reliable uncertainty estimates i…
Improved inference efficiency for complex simulations.
problem Challenges in performing inference under resource-intensive stochastic simulators.
method Active sequential neural posterior estimation (ASNPE) integrating active learning into posterior estimation.
result Improved sample efficiency with low computational overhead.
This work simplifies Bayesian inference for neural networks by identifying influential parameter directions.
problem High computational complexity in Bayesian inference for neural networks due to high-dimensional parameter space.
method Constructing an active subspace of influential parameter directions to reduce dimensionality.
result Effective and scalable Bayesian inference achieved via reduced active subspace.
ABCI infers causal models and queries simultaneously using Bayesian active learning.
problem Inference of causal models and effects in a two-stage process is inefficient and unnatural.
method Active Bayesian Causal Inference (ABCI) using Gaussian processes for sequentially designing experiments.
result ABCI is more data-efficient and accurate in learning causal queries from fewer samples.
WrapNet optimizes inference for low-resolution neural networks by using 8-bit additions.
problem Reducing multiplication complexity in low-resolution neural networks.
method Adapting neural networks to use low-resolution (8-bit) additions in accumulators, with a cyclic activation layer and overflow penalty regularizer.
result Achieves comparable classification accuracy to 32-bit counterparts using low-resolution additions.
FAQ efficiently evaluates LLMs with statistical guarantees using adaptive query selection.
problem Efficiently evaluating many LLMs on a large suite of benchmarks is expensive.
method FAQ uses Bayesian factor models, adaptive sampling, and proactive active inference to select queries.
result FAQ delivers up to 5x effective sample size gains over baselines, matching CI width with fewer queries.
New methods improve Bayesian inference and decision-making in online learning.
problem Current Bayesian deep learning does not fully utilize joint predictives for sequential decision-making.
method Proposes new evaluation settings for active learning and active sampling, focusing on marginal and joint cross-entropies.
result Initial experiments suggest challenges in applying current BDL inference techniques in high-dimensional spaces.
AM-PPI uses multiple predictors to reduce label cost in healthcare AI.
problem Reduces label cost in post-deployment monitoring of healthcare AI.
method Combines model predictions with a small labeled sample, routing each instance to a cost-appropriate subset of predictors.
result Produces narrower confidence intervals than single-predictor methods.
Active sampling algorithm improves accuracy of inferred scores from pairwise comparisons.
problem Inference of accurate scores from time-consuming pairwise comparisons.
method Approximate message passing and expected information gain maximization.
result ASAP offers the highest accuracy of inferred scores compared to existing methods.
Researchers infer gene activity in dividing cells, accounting for protein inheritance and division history.
problem Inferring protein production kinetics in dividing cells due to protein inheritance and division history.
method Adapted conditional normalizing flows to approximate intractable likelihoods from simulated data.
result Glc3 gene is mostly inactive under stress, with brief and transient expression.
Leaky ReLU activations improve the calibration of Bayesian neural networks.
problem Bayesian neural networks struggle with mean-field variational inference for ReLU activations.
method Investigated the effect of activation functions on the calibration of Bayesian neural networks.
result Leaky ReLU activations lead to more Gaussian-like weight posteriors and lower expected calibration error.
Agents learn and control complex mechanical systems through shared memories.
problem Controlling multi-joint dynamical systems.
method Coupled autoregressive active inference agents using Bayesian filtering and minimizing expected free energy.
result Demonstrated learning and control of a double mass-spring-damper system.
Abstract: Investigates the role of activation functions in neural networks and their physical basis.
problem Understanding the role of activation functions in neural networks and their physical basis.
method Formalizes the use of activation functions in neural inference by relating them to phase transitions in statistical physics.
result Reveals the physical justification for the performance of typical activation functions in neural networks.
Agents learn state ambiguity from non-linear sensor data using Gaussian approximations.
problem Learning state representation from non-linear sensor data.
method Second-order Taylor approximation of Gaussian distribution for non-linear measurement functions.
result Induces a preference for states based on inferability from observations.
Deep neural networks are susceptible to various inference attacks as they remember information about their training data. We design white-box inference attacks to perform a comprehensive privacy analysis of deep learning models. We measure the privacy leakage through parameters of fully trained models as well as the pa…
Active inference selects actions to maximize information gain, aiding structure learning.
problem Learning the structure of underlying world models.
method Active inference selects actions based on expected free energy, which includes information gain and value.
result Actions that maximize information gain help disambiguate among alternative models.
New RL agent learns sparse rewards efficiently.
problem Sparse-reward environments and computational expense.
method Active inference with novel free energy minimization.
result High sample efficiency and online operation.
New method improves causal inference by estimating complex treatment effects with active learning.
problem Traditional causal inference frameworks ignore interference and assume independent treatment effects.
method Active Learning in Causal Inference with Interference (ACI) using Gaussian process and genetic algorithms.
result ACI achieves accurate effects estimation with reduced data requirements in complex interference scenarios.
Wide BNNs with odd activations fail to approximate data under mean-field inference.
problem Theoretical limitations of mean-field variational inference in wide, deep Bayesian neural networks.
method Analysis of mean-field variational inference in fully-connected BNNs with odd activation functions and Gaussian likelihood.
result The optimal mean-field variational posterior predictive distribution converges to the prior predictive distribution as network width increases.
Method infers dynamics from incomplete time series data.
problem Challenges in inferring stochastic dynamics from time series with missing data.
method Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm that iterates between E-step and M-step.
result The EM algorithm effectively recovers missing data points and infers underlying network models from real neuronal activities.
Unified framework for planning under uncertainty using variational inference.
problem Planning under uncertainty with separate objectives for exploration and exploitation.
method Variational inference on a generative model augmented with priors.
result EFE-based planning emerges as variational inference, enabling scalable, resource-aware policies.
Unified framework for hybrid learning and optimization via active inference.
problem Sequential decisions in black-box evaluations requiring both task improvement and uncertainty reduction.
method Pragmatic Curiosity (PraC) framework that evaluates queries by balancing information gain and pragmatic value.
result Unified approach reduces decision risk and improves coverage of critical regions without task-specific rules.
Improved CNN accuracy for encrypted data using approximate activation functions.
problem Low accuracy in classifying encrypted data using homomorphic encryption.
method Used a fourth-order polynomial approximation of the Swish activation function with batch normalization for homomorphic encryption.
result Achieved 99.22% accuracy on MNIST and 80.48% on CIFAR-10, improving by 0.04% and 4.11% respectively.
This paper introduces a new approach to active inference using constrained Bethe Free Energy.
problem Tackling the limitations of existing epistemic behavior models in active inference.
method Introducing a constrained Bethe Free Energy (CBFE) perspective to optimize epistemic behavior in generative models.
result CBFE optimization leads to more robust and flexible epistemic behavior compared to existing methods.
AIF improves physical AI agents' performance in dynamic environments.
problem Physical AI agents are less capable than biological agents in open-ended real-world environments.
method Developed from probability theory, Bayesian machine learning, variational inference, and Active Inference (AIF), grounded in the Free Energy Principle.
result AIF minimizes variational free energy and is well-suited to physical constraints.
Parallelizes active learning for Bayesian inference using Nested Sampler.
problem Expensive likelihood evaluations in complex experiments.
method Uses Nested Sampler to generate nearly-optimal batches of candidates in parallel.
result Comparable accuracy to sequential conditioning with efficient parallelization.
Incremental methods for structure learning of pairwise Markov random fields (MRFs), such as grafting, improve scalability by avoiding inference over the entire feature space in each optimization step. Instead, inference is performed over an incrementally grown active set of features. In this paper, we address key compu…