A new method for decision tree selection in recommendation systems.
problem Feature-based selection of a single tree from an ensemble for dynamic interpretation.
method A multi-armed contextual bandit recommendation framework that trains a system on top of Random Forests to identify the most relevant tree.
result The dynamic method outperforms an independent CART tree and is comparable to Random Forest in predictive performance.
This paper develops a new method to model treatment effects that are heterogeneous across different quantiles.
problem Modeling treatment effects that vary across different quantiles of the outcome distribution.
method The paper combines quantile classification with local polynomial estimation to build a decision tree and forest.
result The proposed QLPRT and QLPRF methods provide a new way to estimate and infer heterogeneous treatment effects.
We analyze the consistency of decision trees and random forests in regression.
problem Consistency of decision trees and random forests in regression.
method Elementary proofs following classical arguments for smoothing methods.
result Establish weak and almost sure convergence of honest trees and forest averages to the true regression function.
Decision forests, including Random Forests and Gradient Boosting Trees, have recently demonstrated state-of-the-art performance in a variety of machine learning settings. Decision forests are typically ensembles of axis-aligned decision trees; that is, trees that split only along feature dimensions. In contrast, many r…
Single tree outperforms random forest in testing accuracy.
problem The challenge of improving single decision tree performance.
method Gradient-based entire tree optimization framework, scaled sigmoid approximation, numerical stability algorithm, subtree polish strategy.
result Optimized single tree outperforms classic random forest by 2.03% on average.
A new decision tree variant improves linear model performance.
problem Improving decision tree performance on non-linear data.
method Extremely random tree with non-linear data transformation and linear observer.
result Outperforms linear models on benchmark dataset.
Optimizes random forest inference by defining step order to maximize accuracy.
problem Limited inference time in resource-constrained systems.
method Designs anytime random forest algorithm on step granularity, proposing optimal step order.
result Backward Squirrel Order performs nearly as well as the optimal step order.
Two algorithms for interpreting and boosting tree-based models using rule covering.
problem Interpreting and boosting tree-based ensemble methods.
method Mathematical programming models constructed from decision tree rules.
result Selects a few rules that closely match the accuracy of the model.
This paper improves deep forest models with soft routing and topology learning.
problem Expensive computational costs and lack of interpretability in deep neural networks.
method Soft routing in probabilistic trees and topology learning for joint optimization.
result Empowered deep forests achieve better performance with reduced model complexity.
GRAF uses global partitioning to improve ensemble classifier performance.
problem Improving ensemble classifier performance.
method GRAF extends oblique decision trees to global partitioning.
result GRAF reduces generalization error and improves performance on benchmark datasets.
We consider the problem of learning a forest of nonlinear decision rules with general loss functions. The standard methods employ boosted decision trees such as Adaboost for exponential loss and Friedman's gradient boosting for general loss. In contrast to these traditional boosting algorithms that treat a tree learner…
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.
Deep forests enhance expressiveness exponentially with depth, not width or tree size.
problem Understanding the role of depth, width, and tree size in deep forest performance.
method Provided upper and lower bounds on deep forest approximation complexity.
result Depth exponentially enhances deep forest expressiveness.
Enhances interpretability of functional survival models.
problem Lack of interpretability in functional survival models limits practical use.
method Introduces novel methods to enhance interpretability of FST and explainability of FRSF.
result Proposed methods yield efficient, easy-to-understand decision trees.
New random forest algorithms for PU learning minimize risk directly.
problem Learning from positive and unlabeled data.
method Recursive greedy risk minimization for decision trees.
result Efficient PU random forest algorithm with robustness and low hyperparameter tuning.
The paper proposes a method to improve random forest classification accuracy by weighting trees based on their decision path reliability.
problem Random forests' uniform voting fails to correct errors in regions where incorrect tree representations outnumber correct ones.
method The paper introduces using the structural pattern of each tree's decision path as an instance-adaptive reliability signal to identify and weight more reliable trees.
result Using the proposed method yields a statistically significant accuracy improvement over RF on 36 binary classification benchmarks.
Improved random forest models enhance machine learning predictions.
problem Equal weights for random forest base decision trees are not optimal.
method Proposes algorithms to modify weighting strategy of regular random forest.
result Numerical results show significant improvements over regular random forest.
We introduce canonical correlation forests (CCFs), a new decision tree ensemble method for classification and regression. Individual canonical correlation trees are binary decision trees with hyperplane splits based on local canonical correlation coefficients calculated during training. Unlike axis-aligned alternatives…
Ensembles of randomized decision trees, usually referred to as random forests, are widely used for classification and regression tasks in machine learning and statistics. Random forests achieve competitive predictive performance and are computationally efficient to train and test, making them excellent candidates for r…
Improved GAS models using trees and forests for better forecasts.
problem Improving forecasts from GAS models to avoid curse of dimensionality.
method Localized parameters using decision trees and random forests.
result Significantly outperform baseline GAS model in empirical analyses.
Improves decision tree performance by correcting split selection errors.
problem Invalid statistical guarantees in split selection for decision trees.
method Introduces anytime-valid inference to provide valid statistical guarantees.
result Provides anytime-valid control of false splits under arbitrary data streams.
Attention augments forest for tabular data accuracy.
problem Training tabular data models with high accuracy and efficiency.
method Tree Attention Block (TAB) in differentiable forest framework.
result Attention augmented differentiable forest achieves comparable and sometimes higher accuracy than GBDT models.
The paper challenges the use of decision trees for pointwise inference due to slow convergence rates.
problem The slow convergence rates of decision trees in uniform norm, especially with non-vanishing probability.
method Demonstrates the limitations of adaptive recursive partitioning and shows how random forests can improve performance.
result Decision trees can fail to achieve polynomial rates of convergence in uniform norm, even with pruning.
Paper interprets deep learning using decision trees and Haar wavelets.
problem Understanding the function approximation capabilities of ReLU deep learning.
method Constructing a deep learning structure equivalent to a forest and approximating Haar wavelet functions with ReLU deep learning.
result ReLU deep learning can be considered as decision trees and approximates Haar wavelet functions with arbitrary precision.
Decision forests are widely used for classification and regression tasks. A lesser known property of tree-based methods is that one can construct a proximity matrix from the tree(s), and these proximity matrices are induced kernels. While there has been extensive research on the applications and properties of kernels, …
Random forests perform bootstrap-aggregation by sampling the training samples with replacement. This enables the evaluation of out-of-bag error which serves as a internal cross-validation mechanism. Our motivation lies in using the unsampled training samples to improve each decision tree in the ensemble. We study the e…
DTE uses tree leaf means to embed data, balancing accuracy and speed.
problem High variance in decision tree splits and computational inefficiency of ensembles.
method DTE constructs an interpretable feature representation using leaf means of a trained tree.
result DTE strikes a balance between accuracy and computational efficiency, outperforming ensembles.
Timber targets decision trees, outperforming existing attacks.
problem Poisoning decision trees to manipulate model predictions.
method Greedy attack strategy using sub-tree retraining for efficiency.
result Timber outperforms existing attacks in effectiveness and efficiency.
Tree-based models biased when trained on imbalanced data, requiring new calibration methods.
problem Bias in tree-based models trained on imbalanced datasets.
method Analytical calibration of random forest models, demonstrating bias in decision trees.
result Calibrating tree-based models on imbalanced data negatively impacts predictions, especially for the minority class.
Within machine learning, the supervised learning field aims at modeling the input-output relationship of a system, from past observations of its behavior. Decision trees characterize the input-output relationship through a series of nested if−then−else questions, the testing nodes, leading to a set of predictions, th…
This paper analyzes Mean Decrease Impurity (MDI) variable importance in random forests.
problem Lack of interpretability in random forest variable importances.
method Analysis of Mean Decrease Impurity (MDI) in random forests.
result MDI provides a variance decomposition of the output when variables are independent and there are no interactions.
This work presents an approach to automatically induction for non-greedy decision trees constructed from neural network architecture. This construction can be used to transfer weights when growing or pruning a decision tree, allowing non-greedy decision tree algorithms to automatically learn and adapt to the ideal arch…
A new random forest algorithm uncovers feature interdependencies better than traditional methods.
problem Tackles the sub-optimality of greedy decision tree implementations in random forests.
method Presented a 'stepwise lookahead' variation of random forests that considers multiple split nodes simultaneously.
result Significantly outperforms greedy random forests in uncovering feature interdependencies, especially in high-noise environments.
SMERF improves distance learning with decision forests.
problem Subpar inference and prediction due to poor distances.
method Decision forest algorithm for distance learning.
result Empirically demonstrates ability to approximate arbitrary distances and identify features.
Bayesian Decision Trees are known for their probabilistic interpretability. However, their construction can sometimes be costly. In this article we present a general Bayesian Decision Tree algorithm applicable to both regression and classification problems. The algorithm does not apply Markov Chain Monte Carlo and does…
We optimize large Random Forests into faster, smaller decision diagrams.
problem Efficiency and size of large Random Forests.
method Aggregating large Random Forests into a single, semantically equivalent decision diagram.
result Significant speed-ups and reduction in data structure size.
DOFEN improves DNN performance on tabular data benchmarks.
problem DOFEN tackles the performance gap between DNNs and tree-based models on tabular data.
method DOFEN uses a two-level rODT forest ensembling process inspired by oblivious decision trees.
result DOFEN achieves state-of-the-art results on the Tabular Benchmark.
New algorithm speeds up robustness verification for tree-based models.
problem Formal robustness verification of tree-based models, especially ensembles.
method Reformulated as max-clique problem on a multi-partite graph with bounded boxicity; developed efficient multi-level verification algorithm.
result Tight lower bounds on robustness of decision tree ensembles, hundreds of times faster than previous approach.
The potential lack of fairness in the outputs of machine learning algorithms has recently gained attention both within the research community as well as in society more broadly. Surprisingly, there is no prior work developing tree-induction algorithms for building fair decision trees or fair random forests. These metho…
We utilize Wi-Fi communications from smartphones to predict their mobility mode, i.e. walking, biking and driving. Wi-Fi sensors were deployed at four strategic locations in a closed loop on streets in downtown Toronto. Deep neural network (Multilayer Perceptron) along with three decision tree based classifiers (Decisi…
TRUST improves tree models' accuracy while maintaining interpretability.
problem Piecewise-constant regression trees lack in predictive accuracy compared to black-box models.
method Combines Random Forest accuracy with interpretability of shallow trees and sparsity of linear models, using LLMs for explanations.
result TRUST outperforms other interpretable models in predictive accuracy and matches Random Forest's accuracy.
CDF uses centroids to split features for high-dimensional classification.
problem High-dimensional classification problems with complex class structures.
method CDF introduces a centroid-driven splitting strategy in decision trees.
result CDF outperforms conventional methods in high-dimensional classification.
In this paper, we present machine learning approaches for characterizing and forecasting the short-term demand for on-demand ride-hailing services. We propose the spatio-temporal estimation of the demand that is a function of variable effects related to traffic, pricing and weather conditions. With respect to the metho…
Proposes a new algorithm for accurate tree-based models with guaranteed recourse actions.
problem Ensuring recourse actions for models optimized for predictive performance.
method Formulates and solves an optimization task to ensure reasonable actions for as many instances as possible, using adversarial training techniques.
result Successfully provided reasonable actions to more instances than baselines without significantly degrading accuracy and computational efficiency.
Improving the precision of heart diseases detection has been investigated by many researchers in the literature. Such improvement induced by the overwhelming health care expenditures and erroneous diagnosis. As a result, various methodologies have been proposed to analyze the disease factors aiming to decrease the phys…
New tree and forest methods use oblique splits for better risk bounds.
problem Improving risk bounds for regression algorithms.
method Randomized decision trees and forests with oblique splits.
result Oblique splits lead to better risk bounds for multi-index models.
FoLDTree improves oblique decision trees with ULDA, enhancing accuracy and feature selection.
problem Axis-orthogonal splits limit traditional decision trees' performance on oblique decision boundaries.
method Integrates ULDA into decision tree structure for efficient oblique splits, feature selection, and handling missing values.
result FoLDTree outperforms other methods in accuracy and feature selection, comparable to random forest.
Given an ensemble of randomized regression trees, it is possible to restructure them as a collection of multilayered neural networks with particular connection weights. Following this principle, we reformulate the random forest method of Breiman (2001) into a neural network setting, and in turn propose two new hybrid p…