Study minimax-optimal rates for offline decision-making with function approximation.
problem Statistical complexity of offline decision-making with function approximation.
method Near minimax-optimal rates for stochastic contextual bandits and Markov decision processes, using pseudo-dimension and behavior policy.
result Established performance limits and new characterization of behavior policy.
Paper tackles risk-sensitive decision-making under uncertainty.
problem Risk-sensitive decision-making problem under uncertainty.
method Formulated as a stochastic control problem, delineated necessary optimality conditions.
result Illustrative examples from optimal betting and inventory management support the theory.
Study on information evolution in interactive decision making using multi-armed bandits.
problem Understanding information dynamics in interactive decision making.
method Stochastic multi-armed bandit problem, focusing on optimal arm with a fixed margin.
result Distinct growth phases in mutual information, showing decoupling between success probability and information gain.
Optimal decision-making using prediction sets to minimize risk.
problem Using prediction sets optimally for decision-making in uncertain scenarios.
method Decision-theoretic framework that seeks to minimize expected loss against a worst-case distribution.
result ROCP algorithm reduces critical mistakes compared to baselines, especially in costly out-of-set errors.
New active learning strategy improves decision-making accuracy.
problem Maximizing decision-making accuracy in sequential data acquisition.
method Introduces a novel active learning criterion that maximizes expected information gain on the posterior decision distribution.
result Improved performance in decision-making accuracy compared to existing alternatives.
Post-processing predictors reduces calibration errors for decision-making.
problem Predictors with low calibration error for machine learning may have high error for decision-making.
method Post-processing with ε distance to calibration adds noise to make predictions differentially private.
result Post-processing achieves O(√ε) ECE and CDL, asymptotically optimal.
Gittins index optimizes decision-making under uncertainty, even in complex scenarios.
problem Optimal decision-making under uncertainty.
method Gittins index optimizes allocation of resources among uncertain options.
result Gittins index can be effectively applied to practical problems, including Bayesian optimization and queue latency minimization.
Dynamic probabilistic forecasts guide optimal decisions in uncertain processes.
problem Optimal decision making in processes influenced by uncertain random factors.
method Stochastic models for probabilistic forecast evolution, calibrated from ensemble forecasts.
result Optimal decision strategies determined using dynamic probabilistic forecasts.
ENTMOOT integrates tree models for better decision-making and optimization.
problem Difficult optimization of tree models and lack of reliable uncertainty measures.
method Integrates already trained tree models into optimization problems with a reliable uncertainty measure.
result Proves globally optimal solutions for optimization problems.
This paper develops a framework for efficient decision-making under time pressure.
problem Efficient decision-making under time pressure and subjective tradeoffs.
method Unified framework for evidence-based decision-making under time pressure.
result Ability to model and understand decision-making behavior under time constraints.
New method combines multiple data sources for optimal decision-making with limited outcomes.
problem Optimal decision-making with limited outcome data from multiple heterogeneous sources.
method Calibrated optimal decision-making method leveraging common intermediate outcomes.
result Proposed estimator of conditional mean outcome is asymptotically normal and more efficient.
GoBOED optimizes experiments for specific decision-making objectives, improving downstream outcomes.
problem Reducing parameter uncertainty does not always improve decision-making in critical settings.
method Combines variational posterior surrogate and differentiable convex decision layer for gradient-based design optimization.
result GoBOED identifies designs that better align with specific decision objectives and reveals wider optimal design windows.
Bayesian models quantify uncertainty and facilitate optimal decision-making in downstream applications. For most models, however, practitioners are forced to use approximate inference techniques that lead to sub-optimal decisions due to incorrect posterior predictive distributions. We present a novel approach that corr…
OMLE combines optimism and MLE for efficient sequential decision making.
problem Efficiently solving sequential decision making problems, especially in partially observable settings.
method Combines optimism for exploration and maximum likelihood estimation for model learning.
result OMLE learns near-optimal policies for a wide range of sequential decision making problems.
Non-parametric bootstrap improves robust portfolio and trading strategy optimization.
problem Mitigating uncertainty in expected returns and covariances in financial decision-making.
method Non-parametric bootstrap framework for robust optimization without distributional assumptions.
result Improved out-of-sample performance with smoother, more stable results.
Bayesian framework for learning optimal action-value function in MDPs.
problem Uncertainty quantification in MDPs for optimal decision-making strategies.
method Full Bayesian framework including modelling, inference, and decision-making.
result Demonstrates exploration benefits of posterior sampling in MDPs.
New method optimizes decision-making in uncertain environments.
problem Optimal decision-making under partial observability.
method Nested sequential Monte Carlo algorithm for continuous POMDPs.
result Demonstrated effectiveness on continuous POMDP benchmarks.
LinearAPT optimizes decision-making under resource constraints for a linear threshold problem.
problem Optimizing sequential decisions with a linear threshold under resource limitations.
method LinearAPT, an adaptive algorithm for fixed-budget TLB problem.
result LinearAPT achieves theoretical upper bounds and robust performance on various datasets.
We address challenges in collaborative black-box optimization through three frameworks.
problem Challenges in distributed experimentation, heterogeneity, and privacy in black-box optimization.
method Three unifying frameworks: global, local, and predictive.
result Shift from descriptive/predictive to prescriptive federated learning in black-box optimization.
New complexity measure for interactive learning reduces regret to near-optimal levels.
problem Challenges in sample-efficient, adaptive learning algorithms for interactive decision making.
method Introduces the Decision-Estimation Coefficient and the Estimation-to-Decisions (E2D) principle.
result Unified algorithm design principle E2D achieves optimal sample-efficient learning.
Study noisy rewards in online decision-making with unknown distributions.
problem Learning optimal decisions in online settings with noisy and unknown reward distributions.
method Proposes algorithms integrating learning and decision-making via LCB thresholding.
result Achieves competitive ratios of 1 - 1/e and 1/2 in various settings.
Optimizes decision-making with uncertain variables using auxiliary observations.
problem Contextual stochastic optimization problems with uncertain variables and rich auxiliary observations.
method Trains forest decision policies by growing trees that optimize downstream decision quality, using optimization perturbation analysis for efficient approximations.
result Proves asymptotic optimality and empirical validation of the method's performance and efficiency.
Efficient Bayesian decision-making with intractable likelihoods.
problem Bayesian decision-making under intractable likelihoods.
method Learning surrogate models and using simulation-based inference and Bayesian optimization.
result Optimal actions can be learned with fewer simulations than posterior inference.
Proposes a method to learn from historical data for personalized decision-making.
problem Sample hunger in sequential decision-making algorithms for personalized medicine.
method Identifiable latent bandit framework using nonlinear independent component analysis.
result Optimal decision-making with shorter exploration time than classical bandits.
The paper improves Bayesian optimization by calibrating uncertainty estimates.
problem Improper uncertainty estimates in Bayesian optimization when data is non-stationary.
method Proposes online learning algorithms to maintain calibration on non-i.i.d. data and integrates them into Bayesian optimization.
result Calibrated Bayesian optimization converges to better optima in fewer steps.
Deep learning complements OR/MS for decision-making under uncertainty.
problem Sequential decision-making in uncertain environments.
method Integration of deep learning and OR/MS frameworks.
result Deep learning enhances adaptability and scalability in decision systems.
Proposes CPO framework for robust decision-making with explainable uncertainty regions.
problem Overly conservative uncertainty regions in data-driven optimization lead to suboptimal decisions.
method Conformal-Predict-Then-Optimize (CPO) framework using conditional generative models and visual summaries.
result Demonstrates improved robustness and explainability in decision-making.
The paper proposes a method to learn and leverage contextual preference distributions for better decision-making.
problem Heterogeneous and context-dependent human preferences in decision-making problems.
method A sequential learning-and-optimization pipeline using a bounded-variance score function gradient estimator to train a predictive model mapping contextual features to preference distributions.
result The approach reduces average post-decision surprise by up to 25 times compared to risk-averse baselines in a ridesharing environment.
Causal Bayesian Optimization improves global optimization with causal information.
problem Optimizing a system with causal relationships among variables.
method Combines causal inference, uncertainty quantification, and sequential decision making.
result Causal information significantly improves optimization strategies and reduces costs.
A model for human-machine decision-making with private info and opacity.
problem Optimizing decisions in a human-machine system with private info and opacity.
method Formulated as a two-player learning problem, proved lower and upper bounds on optimality.
result Simple coordination strategy is nearly minimax optimal, efficient learning possible under certain assumptions.
The paper tackles individualized decision-making under unmeasured confounding, providing a novel minimax solution and a paradox.
problem Unmeasured confounding in causal inference leads to biased estimates and affects individualized decision-making.
method The authors establish a formal link between individualized decision-making under partial identification and classical decision theory, providing a minimax solution and a paradox.
result A novel minimax solution for individualized decision-making/policy assignment is provided, and an interesting paradox is drawn.
New algorithms for fast online decision making using neural networks and martingale posteriors.
problem Online sequential decision making under uncertainty.
method Martingale posterior neural networks for fast online learning and decision making.
result Achieves competitive performance-speed trade-offs in non-stationary contextual bandits and Bayesian optimization.
IDS algorithm optimizes sequential decisions in various monitoring settings.
problem Optimizing sequential decisions in complex monitoring scenarios.
method Information-directed sampling (IDS) algorithm for linear partial monitoring.
result IDS achieves nearly worst-case rate optimality in finite-action games.
New method uses nested optimal transport for financial time series evaluation.
problem Lack of consensus metric for evaluating generative models in finance.
method Nested optimal transport distance for time-causal tasks, with a parallelizable algorithm.
result Substantial speedups and robustness to financial tasks.
Trieste optimizes black-box functions using TensorFlow for efficient decision-making.
problem Optimizing complex, black-box functions efficiently.
method Bayesian optimization and active learning with TensorFlow integration.
result Trieste enables efficient exploration of black-box functions.
Paper addresses regret minimization and inference in high-dimensional online decision-making.
problem Regret minimization and statistical inference in high-dimensional online decision-making.
method Integrates ε-greedy bandit algorithm with hard thresholding for sparse bandit parameters and debiasing method for inference.
result Achieves either O(T1/2) regret or O(T1/2)-consistent inference, with trade-off between exploration and exploitation. This review analyzes RL in finance, highlighting its advantages and challenges.
problem Complex financial decision-making problems where traditional methods fail.
method Systematic review of 167 articles from 2017-2025, focusing on market making, portfolio optimization, and algorithmic trading.
result RL offers advantages over traditional methods, particularly in market making, but challenges remain.
Extends expected value framework for cost-sensitive causal decision-making.
problem Optimizing operational decision-making with cost-sensitive causal classification.
method Introduces a cost-sensitive decision boundary based on estimated individual treatment effects, positive outcome probability, and cost parameters.
result Effective in maximizing expected causal profit, outperforming cost-insensitive ranking approach.
PDTS improves robustness in sequential decision-making.
problem Robust active task sampling for efficient and reliable decision-making.
method Characterizes robust active task sampling as a Markov decision process, proposes PDTS method.
result Significantly improves zero-shot and few-shot adaptation robustness.
Optimal data-driven formulations are found for learning and decision-making with historical data.
problem Designing optimal learning and decision-making formulations from historical data.
method Define a yardstick for measuring formulation quality, then construct an optimal formulation that is uniformly closer to the true cost.
result Existence of three distinct out-of-sample performance regimes with corresponding optimal formulations.
Novel IRL method identifies suboptimal medical decisions in ICU data.
problem Identifying suboptimal medical decisions in clinical settings.
method Incorporates Inverse Reinforcement Learning with a pruning step to identify and remove suboptimal actions.
result Pruning step effectively identifies clinical priorities and values from suboptimal data.
Novel algorithm reduces feature inclusion in online decision-making.
problem Optimizing decision-making for personalized user experiences with fairness.
method Online Batched Sequential Inclusion (OBSI) algorithm for sequential feature inclusion.
result OBSI outperforms other algorithms in terms of regret, relevance of features, and compute.
We model human decision-making behaviors in a risk-taking task using inverse reinforcement learning (IRL) for the purposes of understanding real human decision making under risk. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work applying IRL to reveal the implicit reward function in human risk-taking decision making…
New algorithm achieves instance-optimality in decision making.
problem Develop adaptive algorithms for interactive decision making.
method Introduce Allocation-Estimation Coefficient (AEC) and develop AE2 algorithm. result First non-asymptotic instance-optimal performance guarantees.
The paper proposes a fair reinforcement learning framework to prevent healthcare disparities.
problem Unfair reinforcement learning policies in healthcare can lead to socioeconomically-disadvantaged subgroups being underprivileged.
method The paper introduces a counterfactual fairness framework and a sequential data preprocessing algorithm to achieve fair sequential decision making.
result The proposed approach greatly enhances fair access to counseling in a digital health dataset designed to reduce opioid misuse.
An online decision-making algorithm using stochastic gradient descent for big data.
problem Efficiently updating decision rules in online decision making with big data.
method Stochastic gradient descent for online updates, asymptotic normality of estimators.
result Asymptotic normality of parameter and value estimators, enabling statistical inference.
Develops methods for finding counterfactual explanations in sequential decision making.
problem Finding counterfactual explanations for sequential decision making processes.
method Formal characterization of sequential actions and states using Markov decision processes and Gumbel-Max structural causal model. Introduces a polynomial time algorithm based on dynamic programming.
result Algorithm finds optimal counterfactual explanations for sequential decision making.
Bayesian optimization tackles expensive cascade processes.
problem Optimizing multistage decision-making processes with expensive costs.
method Formulated as Bayesian optimization framework with two types of acquisition functions.
result Demonstrated effectiveness through numerical experiments and a solar cell simulator application.