NetBiTE predicts drug sensitivity and identifies biomarkers in cancer.
problem Predicting drug sensitivity and identifying biomarkers in cancer.
method NetBiTE combines prior knowledge and gene expression data using a biased tree ensemble approach.
result NetBiTE outperforms RF in predicting IC50 drug sensitivity for drugs targeting membrane receptor pathways.
A new method creates simpler, more interpretable decision trees from complex ensembles.
problem Complex tree ensembles reduce interpretability and control over machine learning models.
method Dynamic-programming based algorithm for finding a minimum-size decision tree.
result Optimal born-again trees are simpler and more interpretable than original ensembles.
In ensemble methods, the outputs of a collection of diverse classifiers are combined in the expectation that the global prediction be more accurate than the individual ones. Heterogeneous ensembles consist of predictors of different types, which are likely to have different biases. If these biases are complementary, th…
Ensembles of classification and regression trees remain popular machine learning methods because they define flexible non-parametric models that predict well and are computationally efficient both during training and testing. During induction of decision trees one aims to find predicates that are maximally informative …
ForestPrune optimizes tree ensemble pruning for compactness and speed.
problem Large tree ensembles in predictive models consume excessive memory and reduce interpretability.
method Developed a specialized optimization algorithm to efficiently prune tree ensembles by depth layers.
result ForestPrune produces compact, high-performing models that outperform existing post-processing methods.
Optimal survival trees ensemble reduces tree count and improves predictive performance.
problem Improving predictive performance in survival analysis.
method Grows a forest of optimal survival trees by ranking and selecting the best trees based on out-of-bag error.
result Reduces the number of trees in the ensemble while improving predictive performance.
Paper studies ensemble probabilistic regression trees for smooth approximations.
problem Smooth approximations of regression functions.
method Ensemble versions of probabilistic regression trees.
result Ensemble probabilistic regression trees are consistent and perform well.
Flexible tree ensemble learning framework supports arbitrary loss functions and multi-task learning.
problem Limited modeling capabilities of existing tree ensemble learning toolkits.
method Differentiable tree ensembles with tensor-based formulation for efficient training.
result Our framework leads to 100x more compact and 23% more expressive tree ensembles.
Tree ensembles, such as random forest and boosted trees, are renowned for their high prediction performance, whereas their interpretability is critically limited. In this paper, we propose a post processing method that improves the model interpretability of tree ensembles. After learning a complex tree ensembles in a s…
Boosting meta-trees improve decision tree performance.
problem Overfitting in decision trees.
method Boosting approach to construct multiple meta-trees.
result Ensembles of meta-trees prevent overfitting.
Tree ensembles such as random forests and boosted trees are accurate but difficult to understand, debug and deploy. In this work, we provide the inTrees (interpretable trees) framework that extracts, measures, prunes and selects rules from a tree ensemble, and calculates frequent variable interactions. An rule-based le…
Tree ensembles, such as random forests and boosted trees, are renowned for their high prediction performance. However, their interpretability is critically limited due to the enormous complexity. In this study, we present a method to make a complex tree ensemble interpretable by simplifying the model. Specifically, we …
This paper introduces TNTK to study infinite soft tree ensembles.
problem Understanding the behavior of infinite soft tree ensembles.
method Introduced Tree Neural Tangent Kernel (TNTK) to analyze infinite soft tree ensembles.
result Identified several non-trivial properties of infinite soft tree ensembles.
Tree ensembles like RF and GBT can be seen as kernels, improving regression and classification performance.
problem Improving kernel methods for tree ensemble based models.
method Investigation of RF and GBT kernels in simulation and real data.
result RF and GBT kernels are competitive to their respective ensembles in higher dimensions, particularly with noisy features.
TREX explains tree ensembles by identifying key training examples.
problem Identifying which training examples most influence tree ensemble predictions.
method TREX builds a surrogate model using a kernel that captures tree ensemble structure, approximating the original model.
result TREX provides accurate and effective explanations for tree ensembles.
New framework uses tree ensembles for contextual bandits.
problem Optimizing decisions in dynamic environments with contextual information.
method Adapts Upper Confidence Bound and Thompson Sampling to tree ensemble methods.
result Tree ensemble methods outperform traditional methods in regret minimization and runtime.
HATT improves online decision tree ensembles by using a more eager splitting strategy.
problem Improving the efficiency of online decision tree ensembles.
method Replacing Hoeffding Tree's split strategy with HATT, which uses the Hoeffding Test for candidate splits.
result HATT outperforms Hoeffding Tree in online bagging and boosting ensembles, as shown by significant performance improvements in various testbenches.
Ensembles of decision trees perform well on many problems, but are not interpretable. In contrast to existing approaches in interpretability that focus on explaining relationships between features and predictions, we propose an alternative approach to interpret tree ensemble classifiers by surfacing representative poin…
Shallow trees in ensemble models make models more interpretable and sometimes better.
problem Lack of transparency in high-performing tree ensemble models.
method Developed an interpretation algorithm to convert tree ensembles into functional ANOVA representations. Proposed strategies to enhance interpretability.
result Shallow trees in ensemble models can lead to better generalization performance and improved interpretability.
The study investigates kernel-target alignment in tree ensemble kernels.
problem The degree of kernel-target alignment affects the performance of tree ensemble kernels in kernel learning.
method Eigenanalysis of the kernel matrix and sensitivity analysis via landmark learning.
result Good performance of tree ensemble kernels is associated with strong kernel-target alignment.
Evolutionary algorithms improve decision tree ensembles.
problem Improving predictive performance of decision trees.
method Real-valued vector representation of decision trees, evolutionary algorithms (Differential evolution, Evolution strategies).
result Proposed methods outperform classical decision tree induction algorithms.
Paper explains how tree ensembles improve predictions by smoothing and regulating smoothness.
problem Understanding why tree ensembles perform well despite their complexity.
method Interpreting tree ensembles as adaptive and self-regularizing smoothers.
result Ensemble trees make more smooth predictions than individual trees and adjust smoothness based on input dissimilarity.
Paper analyzes soft tree ensembles using NTK, finding only leaf count matters.
problem Understanding impact of various tree architectures in ensemble learning.
method Formulated and analyzed Neural Tangent Kernel (NTK) for soft tree ensembles.
result Only the number of leaves at each depth is relevant for tree architecture in ensemble learning.
New approach verifies tree ensembles efficiently, making them more robust.
problem Verifying robustness of decision tree ensembles against evasion attacks is NP-hard.
method Identified large-spread ensembles, proposed verifiable learning, designed training algorithm.
result Large-spread ensembles can be verified in polynomial time and are more robust.
Decision trees can be biased towards minority class, contrary to belief.
problem Bias in decision trees towards minority class in imbalanced datasets.
method Critical evaluation of past literature, specific conditions analysis, tree-fitting adjustments, and post-hoc calibration methods.
result Decision trees can be biased towards minority class under specific conditions, not always towards majority.
This paper tackles robustness of ensemble stumps and trees under general ℓ_p norm perturbations.
problem The vulnerability of ensemble stumps and trees to small input perturbations under the ℓ_∞ norm.
method Developed dynamic programming algorithms for robustness verification and certified defense under general ℓ_p norm perturbations.
result First certified defense method for ensemble stumps and trees under ℓ_p norm perturbations.
We propose a novel "tree-averaging" model that utilizes the ensemble of classification and regression trees (CART). Each constituent tree is estimated with a subset of similar data. We treat this grouping of subsets as Bayesian ensemble trees (BET) and model them as an infinite mixture Dirichlet process. We show that B…
New method tests tree models without causing computational pressure.
problem Incompatibility of adversarial robustness testing with tree ensembles.
method Smooths tree ensembles with sigmoid functions and uses gradient descent.
result Successfully reveals adversarial vulnerability of tree ensemble models.
Develops RKHS framework for analyzing tree ensembles.
problem Analyzing the theoretical properties of tree ensembles.
method Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Spaces (RKHS) for tree ensembles.
result Characterizes Random Forest predictor as minimizer of a penalized empirical risk functional in RKHS.
New framework detects model weaknesses in decision tree ensembles.
problem Detecting feature sensitivity in decision tree ensembles.
method Data-aware sensitivity framework using MILP and SMT.
result Realistic and interpretable examples of model weaknesses.
Paper verifies safety of tree ensembles in safety-critical systems.
problem Ensuring safety of machine learning in safety-critical systems.
method Extract equivalence classes and formally verify input-output mappings of tree ensembles.
result Method is practical for tree ensembles trained on low-dimensional data.
Proposes a simple neural network model similar to gradient boosted decision trees.
problem Building a neural network equivalent to gradient boosted decision trees.
method Converts an ensemble of decision trees to a neural network, relaxes properties, and trains a simple neural network model.
result The proposed Hammock model achieves similar performance to gradient boosted decision trees.
This study extends verifiable learning to boosted tree ensembles, enabling efficient security verification.
problem Efficiently verifying the robustness of boosted tree ensembles against norm-based attackers.
method Formal verification of robustness for large-spread boosted tree ensembles, considering L∞-norm and pseudo-polynomial time for Lp-norm verification. result Polynomial time verification for L∞-norm attackers, NP-hard for other norms, and pseudo-polynomial time for Lp-norm verification. In machine learning ensemble methods have demonstrated high accuracy for the variety of problems in different areas. Two notable ensemble methods widely used in practice are gradient boosting and random forests. In this paper we present InfiniteBoost - a novel algorithm, which combines important properties of these two…
Integrates differentiable decision trees into neural networks for faster training and inference.
problem Combining differentiability and conditional computation in tree ensembles for neural networks.
method Sparse activation function and specialized forward/backward propagation algorithms for efficient training and inference.
result 10x speed-ups and 20x reduction in parameters compared to existing methods, while maintaining performance.
Models obtained by decision tree induction techniques excel in being interpretable.However, they can be prone to overfitting, which results in a low predictive performance. Ensemble techniques are able to achieve a higher accuracy. However, this comes at a cost of losing interpretability of the resulting model. This ma…
Study reviews tree-based methods and introduces new ensemble strategies.
problem Improving the efficiency and performance of tree-based machine learning models.
method Review of tree-based methods, introduction of ISLE framework, ARM model combination strategy, and modified ISLEs.
result Performance evaluation of modified ISLEs on real data sets.
This work proposes a robust ensemble method for decision trees that resists adversarial attacks.
problem Adversarial attacks on machine learning models, especially decision trees.
method Feature partitioning to train robust ensembles and approximate certification methods.
result The proposed ensemble method can resist evasion attacks by a majority of its models.
Variable selection for high-dimensional linear models has received a lot of attention lately, mostly in the context of l1-regularization. Part of the attraction is the variable selection effect: parsimonious models are obtained, which are very suitable for interpretation. In terms of predictive power, however, these re…
New methods improve tree ensemble models by compressing them while maintaining accuracy.
problem Theoretical understanding and practical compression of tree ensembles like random forests and gradient boosting machines.
method Spectral perspective on tree ensembles, deriving minimax rates and developing compression schemes.
result Leading eigenfunctions/singular vectors capture dominant predictive directions, leading to smaller, competitive models.
Tree ensemble kernels improve Bayesian optimization for mixed features and constraints.
problem Optimizing over mixed-feature spaces with known constraints.
method Kernel interpretation of tree ensembles as Gaussian Process prior, compatible optimization formulation for acquisition function, integration of known constraints.
result Framework outperforms state-of-the-art methods for mixed-feature spaces and constraints.
HRF enhances tree diversity in random forests to improve performance.
problem Selection bias and lack of diversity in random forests.
method Introducing heterogeneity during tree construction by assigning lower weights to features used in previous trees.
result HRF outperforms other ensemble methods in accuracy across 52 datasets.
Tree ensembles are flexible predictive models that can capture relevant variables and to some extent their interactions in a compact and interpretable manner. Most algorithms for obtaining tree ensembles are based on versions of boosting or Random Forest. Previous work showed that boosting algorithms exhibit a cyclic b…
Bayesian Additive Distribution Regression (DistBART) predicts distributions from grouped data.
problem Predicting distributions from grouped data with varying characteristics.
method Bayesian nonparametric approach using BART for modeling the regression function.
result Empirical and theoretical evidence supports DistBART's effectiveness in learning from low-dimensional marginals.
ControlBurn selects few features from tree ensembles for better model interpretability.
problem Improving model interpretability in machine learning models.
method Sparse tree ensembles with lasso optimization.
result ControlBurn selects feature-sparse subsets for better model interpretability.
We consider the problem of learning decision rules for prediction with feature budget constraint. In particular, we are interested in pruning an ensemble of decision trees to reduce expected feature cost while maintaining high prediction accuracy for any test example. We propose a novel 0-1 integer program formulation …
TreeHFD algorithm explains tree ensemble models through hierarchical orthogonality.
problem Difficulty in explaining black-box tree ensemble models.
method TreeHFD algorithm using hierarchical orthogonality constraints.
result TreeHFD estimates Hoeffding decomposition from data samples.
Paper introduces XBART for nonlinear regression, outperforming XGBoost.
problem Nonlinear regression problems, especially in speed and accuracy.
method Combines Bayesian modeling and recursive partitioning for efficient, accurate predictions.
result XBART provides faster and more accurate predictions than XGBoost.