Stochastic gradient descent with a large initial learning rate is widely used for training modern neural net architectures. Although a small initial learning rate allows for faster training and better test performance initially, the large learning rate achieves better generalization soon after the learning rate is anne…
New dynamics for SGD in small learning rate regime.
problem Improving stochastic gradient descent in small learning rate regime.
method Introducing stochastic modified flows and distribution dependent stochastic modified flows.
result Captures fluctuating dynamics of SGD in small learning rate - infinite width scaling regime.
SGD with large learning rates can achieve better test accuracy than expected.
problem SGD with large learning rates often outperforms expected convergence bounds.
method Proved that SGD with small learning rates stays close to gradient flow path on modified loss.
result Explicitly adding an implicit regularizer to the loss improves test accuracy.
Learning rate annealing helps even in convex problems, improving generalization.
problem Improving generalization in neural networks, especially convex problems.
method Learning rate annealing schedule (large initial, then small learning rate).
result Gradient descent can reach minima with better generalization using learning rate annealing.
Large learning rates cause oscillations in NN weights that improve generalization.
problem Improving generalization of neural networks trained with large learning rates.
method Theoretical analysis and feature-noise data generation model.
result Oscillating SGD with large learning rates benefits NN generalization by effectively learning weak features.
Random learning rate improves neural network training without extra cost.
problem Optimizing neural networks with stochastic gradient descent.
method Uniformly-distributed random learning rate in SGD.
result Random learning rate yields better regularization without extra computational cost.
Transfer learning improves chaotic dynamics predictions with less data.
problem Efficiently predicting chaotic dynamics with limited data.
method Transfer learning for nonlinear dynamics, optimizing transfer rate and leveraging small-scale turbulence universality.
result Significantly more accurate inference of chaotic dynamics achieved.
Large learning rates prevent memorization in denoising score matching.
problem Memorization of training data in diffusion-based generative models.
method Investigating the role of large learning rates in the small-noise regime, proving that they prevent convergence to the empirical optimal score.
result Large learning rates prevent memorization by making it impossible for the learned score to be arbitrarily close to the empirical optimal score.
New model explains deep learning performance at large learning rates.
problem Understanding deep learning performance at different learning rates.
method Developed neural networks with solvable training dynamics.
result Large learning rates lead to convergence to flatter minima.
New algorithm achieves small-loss bounds in online learning with improved rates.
problem Achieving strong stability in online learning algorithms.
method Introduces ρ-separation to enforce strong stability, unifying previous approaches. result Oracle-efficient algorithm achieves small-loss bounds with improved rates.
Study shows deep linear networks can converge to flatter minima at large learning rates.
problem Understanding the implicit bias of deep linear networks at large learning rates.
method Characterization of deep linear networks for binary classification using logistic loss in the large learning rate regime.
result Gradient descent iterates converge to a flatter minimum in the catapult phase for certain data separation conditions.
Stochastic Gradient Descent shows directional bias with moderate learning rates, impacting optimization outcomes.
problem Understanding the bias of SGD with moderate learning rates in practical scenarios.
method Analyzing SGD and GD on an overparameterized linear regression problem.
result SGD converges along large eigenvalue directions, GD along small ones, affecting early stopping outcomes.
Paper develops error rates for physics-informed learning, comparing it to data-driven methods.
problem Understanding the trade-off between soft penalties and hard constraints in PISL.
method Develops complexity-dependent error rates using the small-ball method.
result Physics-informed estimators have comparable error rates to hard constrained methods, differing only by constants.
Learning from small amounts of labeled data is a challenge in the area of deep learning. This is currently addressed by Transfer Learning where one learns the small data set as a transfer task from a larger source dataset. Transfer Learning can deliver higher accuracy if the hyperparameters and source dataset are chose…
In this paper, we study the problem of sparse multiple kernel learning (MKL), where the goal is to efficiently learn a combination of a fixed small number of kernels from a large pool that could lead to a kernel classifier with a small prediction error. We develop an efficient algorithm based on the greedy coordinate d…
Our paper introduces an efficient combination of established techniques to improve classifier performance, in terms of accuracy and training time. We achieve two-fold to ten-fold speedup in nearing state of the art accuracy, over different model architectures, by dynamically tuning the learning rate. We find it especia…
We introduce a simple algorithm, True Asymptotic Natural Gradient Optimization (TANGO), that converges to a true natural gradient descent in the limit of small learning rates, without explicit Fisher matrix estimation. For quadratic models the algorithm is also an instance of averaged stochastic gradient, where the par…
TLRF improves timely COVID-19 outbreak detection with small sample size counties.
problem Balancing accuracy and speed in estimating COVID-19 case growth rates.
method Transfer Learning Random Forest (TLRF) framework for growth rate estimation.
result TLRF outperforms existing methods in predicting case growth rates and timely outbreak detection.
Large learning rates improve generalization, but optimal ranges are narrower than previously thought.
problem Optimizing learning rates for neural network training.
method Detailed exploration of learning rate ranges in a simplified setup, validating findings in a practical setting.
result Optimal learning rate ranges are significantly narrower than previously assumed.
A new topology improves decentralized learning efficiency and accuracy.
problem Finding efficient decentralized learning topologies with fast consensus and low maximum degree.
method Proposed the Base-(k+1) Graph topology for decentralized learning. result The Base-(k+1) Graph enables faster convergence and better communication efficiency than the exponential graph. We investigate the learning rate of multiple kernel leaning (MKL) with elastic-net regularization, which consists of an ℓ1-regularizer for inducing the sparsity and an ℓ2-regularizer for controlling the smoothness. We focus on a sparse setting where the total number of kernels is large but the number of non…
In a previous paper the authors defined the growth rate of the tunnel number of knots, an invariant that measures that asymptotic behavior of the tunnel number under connected sum. In this paper we calculate the growth rate of the tunnel number of m-small knots in terms of their bridge indices.
Custom loss functions improve accuracy of wildfire rate of spread forecasts.
problem Improving accuracy of wildfire rate of spread forecasts.
method Examined custom loss functions in machine learning models of fuel moisture content.
result Custom loss functions improved accuracy of ROS forecasts by a small amount.
We investigate the learning rate of multiple kernel learning (MKL) with ℓ1 and elastic-net regularizations. The elastic-net regularization is a composition of an ℓ1-regularizer for inducing the sparsity and an ℓ2-regularizer for controlling the smoothness. We focus on a sparse setting where the total …
Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) based training of neural networks with a large learning rate or a small batch-size typically ends in well-generalizing, flat regions of the weight space, as indicated by small eigenvalues of the Hessian of the training loss. However, the curvature along the SGD trajectory is poorly und…
Large learning rates lead to optimal generalization if chosen carefully.
problem Understanding the optimal range of large learning rates for neural network training.
method Empirical study focusing on two questions: optimal initial LR range and differences between models trained with different LRs.
result Optimal initial learning rates slightly above the convergence threshold lead to optimal results after fine-tuning with a small LR or weight averaging.
Modern deep neural network training is typically based on mini-batch stochastic gradient optimization. While the use of large mini-batches increases the available computational parallelism, small batch training has been shown to provide improved generalization performance and allows a significantly smaller memory footp…
Introduces gradient decay in Softmax for better generalization.
problem Improving generalization performance in neural networks.
method Gradient decay hyperparameter in Softmax for varying gradient rates based on probability.
result Gradient decay rate affects generalization performance and can be tuned for better optimization.
Develops methods to measure and set function-space learning rates in neural networks.
problem Measuring and optimizing changes in neural network output functions.
method Efficient methods to measure and set function-space learning rates, requiring minimal computational overhead.
result Demonstrates FLeRM (Function-space Learning Rate Matching) for hyperparameter transfer across model scales.
Open manifolds with nonnegative Ricci curvature have virtually abelian fundamental groups if they escape from bounded balls at a small rate.
problem Understanding the fundamental groups of open manifolds with nonnegative Ricci curvature.
method Analyzing the escape rate of minimal geodesic loops and relating it to the fundamental group's properties.
result If an open manifold has a small escape rate, its fundamental group is virtually abelian.
New framework assesses regularization norms in ill-posed problems, revealing L2 instability and proposing adaptive fractional RKHS solutions.
problem Comparative analysis of regularization norms in ill-posed problems.
method Small noise analysis framework for Tikhonov and RKHS regularizations.
result Optimal convergence rates achieved with adaptive fractional RKHS, but hyper-parameters decay too fast.
Catapult phase in neural nets shows exponential loss growth before quick decrease.
problem Understanding phase transitions in neural networks during training.
method Analyzing weight norm and loss behavior for super-critical learning rates.
result Proven existence of catapult phase in quadratic models and two-layer nets.
We derive the fast convergence rates of a deep neural network (DNN) classifier with the rectified linear unit (ReLU) activation function learned using the hinge loss. We consider three cases for a true model: (1) a smooth decision boundary, (2) smooth conditional class probability, and (3) the margin condition (i.e., t…
Maximal initial learning rate for deep ReLU networks identified.
problem Finding the optimal initial learning rate for deep neural networks.
method Simple approach to estimate maximal initial learning rate η∗, analyzing its behavior in constant-width fully-connected ReLU networks. result Maximal initial learning rate η∗ is well predicted as a power of depth × width, with specific conditions for network width and input layer training. For binary classification we establish learning rates up to the order of n−1 for support vector machines (SVMs) with hinge loss and Gaussian RBF kernels. These rates are in terms of two assumptions on the considered distributions: Tsybakov's noise assumption to establish a small estimation error, and a new geometr…
Unintended effects from scaling neural network outputs with adaptive learning rates.
problem Adaptive learning rate optimization's behavior is altered by output scaling, leading to misinterpretation.
method Presented a modified optimization algorithm to mitigate unintended effects.
result Adaptive learning rate's effectiveness is significantly impacted by output scaling, especially for small scaling factors.
Deep learning method improves risk assessment for small loan portfolios.
problem Measuring name concentration risk in small loan portfolios.
method Deep learning approach using Monte Carlo simulations with importance sampling.
result New method outperforms existing analytical methods for small portfolios.
The paper analyzes how GANs converge using dual metric flows.
problem Understanding the convergence dynamics of GANs.
method Investigates the convergence of GANs using dual metric flows, formal definitions, and proving convergence.
result GAN learning dynamics converge to a limit when learning rate is small.
ScheduleFree+ improves large language model training without schedules or learning rates.
problem Scaling up Schedule-Free Learning to large language models.
method Learning-rate-free and schedule-free method for training large language models.
result ScheduleFree+ outperforms SOTA schedules by 31% at 1000 tokens per parameter.
New learning rates derived for Tikhonov-regularized problems without kernel assumptions.
problem Learning rates for Tikhonov-regularized learning problems.
method Minimax adaptive rates derived using Fourier isocapacitary condition and interpolation theory.
result Derivation of minimax adaptive rates without requiring kernel assumptions.
Derives effective continuous dynamics for adaptive SGD methods.
problem Analyzing noise in adaptive SGD methods.
method Stochastic modified equations framework and Malladi's scaling rules.
result Sampling-induced noise in SGD limits to independent Brownian motions.
New insights into network generalization show learning rate affects both norm and sharpness.
problem Understanding the generalization of overparameterized networks.
method Empirical analysis and theoretical proof of the trade-off between norm and sharpness.
result Learning rate influences both norm and sharpness, neither alone minimizes generalization error.
The growing use of Machine Learning has produced significant advances in many fields. For image-based tasks, however, the use of deep learning remains challenging in small datasets. In this article, we review, evaluate and compare the current state-of-the-art techniques in training neural networks to elucidate which te…
Collaborative filtering is a useful technique for exploiting the preference patterns of a group of users to predict the utility of items for the active user. In general, the performance of collaborative filtering depends on the number of rated examples given by the active user. The more the number of rated examples giv…
We consider two questions at the heart of machine learning; how can we predict if a minimum will generalize to the test set, and why does stochastic gradient descent find minima that generalize well? Our work responds to Zhang et al. (2016), who showed deep neural networks can easily memorize randomly labeled training …
Lung cancer continues to be a major healthcare challenge with high morbidity and mortality rates among both men and women worldwide. The majority of lung cancer cases are of non-small cell lung cancer type. With the advent of targeted cancer therapy, it is imperative not only to properly diagnose but also sub-classify …
We show that in dimension 4 and above, the lifespan of Ricci flows depends on the relative smallness of the Ricci curvature compared to the Riemann curvature on the initial manifold. We can generalize this lifespan estimate to the local Ricci flow, using which we prove the short-time existence of Ricci flow solutions o…
New learning rate approach reveals phase transitions in SGD performance.
problem Understanding feature learning dynamics in neural networks.
method Characterizing the relationship between learning rate(s) and sample complexity for gradient-based algorithms.
result Phase transition from information exponent to generative exponent regime with different learning rates.