Two new algorithms optimize rewards while respecting safety constraints in sequential decisions.
problem Optimizing rewards with safety constraints in sequential decisions.
method Stage-wise conservative linear Thompson Sampling (SCLTS) and stage-wise conservative linear UCB (SCLUCB).
result Probabilistic regret bounds of order O(\sqrt{T} \log^{3/2}T) and O(\sqrt{T} \log T).
A new conformal prediction framework for two-stage models identifies stage-wise uncertainty.
problem Limited coverage guarantees and lack of modular structure understanding in existing conformal prediction methods.
method Decomposes prediction residuals into stage-specific components, calibrates parameters using FWER control, and adapts to non-stationary settings.
result Improves coverage and identifies stage-wise error contributions compared to standard conformal methods.
AGGLIO optimizes non-convex functions with local convexity guarantees.
problem Optimizing non-convex functions with local convexity.
method Stage-wise, graduated optimization technique for locally convex functions.
result Global convergence to the global optimum for non-convex and locally convex objectives.
Study contextual bandits with stage-wise constraints, proving regret bounds and extending results.
problem Contextual bandits with stage-wise constraints in high probability and expectation settings.
method Upper-confidence bound algorithms for linear and non-linear reward/cost functions, extending to multiple constraints.
result Regret bounds for various settings, including non-linear reward/cost functions.
Deep reinforcement learning for high dimensional, hierarchical control tasks usually requires the use of complex neural networks as functional approximators, which can lead to inefficiency, instability and even divergence in the training process. Here, we introduce stacked deep Q learning (SDQL), a flexible modularized…
A new algorithm for identifying the best arm in linear feedback with safety constraints.
problem Identifying the best arm in linear feedback with safety constraints.
method A gap-based algorithm that ensures safety while minimizing sample complexity.
result The algorithm achieves meaningful sample complexity while ensuring safety.
This paper presents a simple method for a posteriori (historical) multi-variate multi-stage optimal trading under transaction costs and a diversification constraint. Starting from a given amount of money in some currency, we analyze the stage-wise optimal allocation over a time horizon with potential investments in mul…
New RL algorithm reduces policy switching cost to loglog(T) with similar regret.
problem Low policy switching cost in real-life RL applications.
method Stage-wise exploration and adaptive policy elimination.
result Regret of O(HSAloglogT) with O(HSAloglogT) switching cost. Recently, researchers utilize Knowledge Graph (KG) as side information in recommendation system to address cold start and sparsity issue and improve the recommendation performance. Existing KG-aware recommendation model use the feature of neighboring entities and structural information to update the embedding of curren…
We consider the problem of designing a sparse Gaussian process classifier (SGPC) that generalizes well. Viewing SGPC design as constructing an additive model like in boosting, we present an efficient and effective SGPC design method to perform a stage-wise optimization of a predictive loss function. We introduce new me…
MOMENT selects and estimates mixed-effects models using moment identities.
problem Selecting and estimating random-effects covariance matrix and fixed-effects coefficients in multiresponse linear mixed-effects models.
method MOMENT is a stage-wise moment-based framework that reduces the random-effects selection problem to a smooth constrained convex optimization problem.
result MOMENT performs competitively and can outperform separate univariate analyses for correlated responses.
The paper develops a method to learn cost-optimal sequential testing policies from retrospective data.
problem Learning cost-optimal sequential decision policies from retrospective data with missing test results.
method Doubly robust Q-learning framework with path-specific inverse probability weights.
result The method reduces testing cost without compromising predictive accuracy.
Effective medical test suggestions benefit both patients and physicians to conserve time and improve diagnosis accuracy. In this work, we show that an agent can learn to suggest effective medical tests. We formulate the problem as a stage-wise Markov decision process and propose a reinforcement learning method to train…
As machine learning algorithms enter applications in industrial settings, there is increased interest in controlling their cpu-time during testing. The cpu-time consists of the running time of the algorithm and the extraction time of the features. The latter can vary drastically when the feature set is diverse. In this…
CycleFQI tackles offline reinforcement learning for cyclic MDPs, mitigating state distribution mismatch.
problem Offline reinforcement learning for cyclic MDPs with heterogeneous dynamics and discount factors.
method CycleFQI decomposes the cyclic process into stage-wise sub-problems, using vector of stage-specific Q-functions.
result CycleFQI mitigates the curse of dimensionality and provides finite-sample suboptimality error bounds.
We study the problem of collaborative filtering where ranking information is available. Focusing on the core of the collaborative ranking process, the user and their community, we propose new models for representation of the underlying permutations and prediction of ranks. The first approach is based on the assumption …
In this paper, we develop a novel {\bf ho}moto{\bf p}y {\bf s}moothing (HOPS) algorithm for solving a family of non-smooth problems that is composed of a non-smooth term with an explicit max-structure and a smooth term or a simple non-smooth term whose proximal mapping is easy to compute. The best known iteration compl…
The design and performance analysis of bandit algorithms in the presence of stage-wise safety or reliability constraints has recently garnered significant interest. In this work, we consider the linear stochastic bandit problem under additional \textit{linear safety constraints} that need to be satisfied at each round.…
This paper proposes a boosting-based solution addressing metric learning problems for high-dimensional data. Distance measures have been used as natural measures of (dis)similarity and served as the foundation of various learning methods. The efficiency of distance-based learning methods heavily depends on the chosen d…
We propose a neural architecture search (NAS) algorithm, Petridish, to iteratively add shortcut connections to existing network layers. The added shortcut connections effectively perform gradient boosting on the augmented layers. The proposed algorithm is motivated by the feature selection algorithm forward stage-wise …
Guided Learning improves end-to-end modeling for multi-stage decision-making.
problem Challenges in training unified neural networks for multi-stage decision-making.
method Guided Learning framework with a guide function and utility function.
result Significant improvement in performance over traditional methods.
DeRisk improves credit risk prediction using deep learning.
problem Challenges in training deep neural networks with real-world financial data.
method DeRisk, an effective deep learning framework for credit risk prediction.
result DeRisk outperforms statistical learning methods in credit risk prediction.
Generative adversarial networks (GAN) have recently been shown to be efficient for speech enhancement. However, most, if not all, existing speech enhancement GANs (SEGAN) make use of a single generator to perform one-stage enhancement mapping. In this work, we propose to use multiple generators that are chained to perf…
TSL learns separable models to avoid signal cancellation and off-support extrapolation.
problem Signal cancellation and off-support extrapolation in additive models.
method Tensor Separation Learning (TSL) via stagewise greedy procedure with orthogonal refitting.
result TSL avoids information loss caused by marginalizing higher-order interactions.
Transformers learn to integrate information from past positions incrementally, specializing heads in distinct patterns.
problem How transformers learn to integrate information from multiple past positions with varying statistical significance.
method High-order Markov chain task, incremental learning, sparse attention patterns, simplified differential equations, stage-wise convergence, early stopping as regularizer.
result Transformers learn to specialize heads in distinct patterns, shifting from competitive to cooperative learning dynamics.
EPC curriculum improves MARL performance as agent population grows.
problem Challenges in learning good policies for large multi-agent systems.
method Evolutionary Population Curriculum (EPC) for scaling MARL.
result EPC consistently outperforms baselines as agent population increases.
IBP-R improves verified adversarial robustness with simple, effective interval bound propagation.
problem Improving verifiability of adversarially trained networks.
method Coupling adversarial attacks with interval bound propagation for minimized verification gap.
result State-of-the-art verified robustness-accuracy trade-offs for small perturbations on CIFAR-10.
Differentially private method for estimating individualized treatment rules.
problem Estimating individualized treatment rules while preserving privacy.
method Differentially private two-stage empirical risk minimization (DP-2ERM).
result Improved privacy-utility trade-off demonstrated through simulations and applications.
The paper tackles fast rates in batch active learning with pool-based data.
problem Reduced adaptivity in batch active learning leads to suboptimal results.
method Proposes a stage-wise greedy algorithm that balances informativeness and diversity.
result The algorithm's excess risk matches minimax rates in standard statistical learning settings.
A semi-supervised framework using stochastic interpolation and latent representations.
problem Challenges in conditional generative modeling with scarce labeled data.
method Combines conditional stochastic interpolation with low-dimensional latent representations.
result Significantly improves sample complexity and achieves faster convergence rate.
Unified framework for constrained online decision-making.
problem Sequential decisions under stage-wise feasibility constraints.
method Upper counterfactual confidence bounds and generalized eluder dimension.
result Principled foundation for constrained sequential decision-making.
Inspired by the unsupervised learning or self-organization in the machine learning context, here we attempt to draw `learning curve' for the collective behavior of job-seeking `zero-intelligence' labors in successive job-hunting processes. Our labor market is supposed to be opened especially for university graduates in…
Transformers learn unseen tasks via prompts without fine-tuning.
problem Understanding how transformers learn unseen tasks without additional fine-tuning.
method Structured data model, gradient descent, two-phase convergence analysis.
result Transformers can learn linear function classes via in-context learning.
Bayesian optimization reduces computational effort in aircraft design optimization.
problem High computational cost in industrial aircraft design optimization.
method Constrained Bayesian optimization (Super Efficient Global Optimization with Mixture of Experts)
result Significant computational efficiency improvements over existing Isight optimizers.
Bayesian optimization method tackles combinatorial spaces, scalable for large data.
problem Optimization over combinatorial categorical spaces in natural sciences.
method Combines variational optimization and continuous relaxations for gradient-based optimization.
result Method performs comparably to state-of-the-art methods while scaling well.
New algorithm solves complex stopping problems with robust optimization.
problem Solving complex stochastic optimal stopping problems.
method Simulation-based robust optimization with exact reformulation as a zero-one bilinear program.
result Developed polynomial-time heuristics and algorithms for practical solution.
L2O uses ML to optimize traditional optimization techniques.
problem Real-world optimization problems with shared structures.
method Exploiting shared structures to enhance optimization techniques.
result Better or faster solutions through machine learning integration.
When hyperparameter optimization of a machine learning algorithm is repeated for multiple datasets it is possible to transfer knowledge to an optimization run on a new dataset. We develop a new hyperparameter-free ensemble model for Bayesian optimization that is a generalization of two existing transfer learning extens…
Meta algorithm solves multivariate optimization using univariate optimizers.
problem Multivariate global optimization problems.
method Meta algorithm combining univariate global optimizers.
result Meta algorithm provides robust regret guarantees.
A novel neural network approach for optimization problems.
problem Constrained optimization problems.
method Neural Optimization Machine (NOM) using a specially designed NN architecture and training procedure.
result Solves optimization problems efficiently, especially in high-dimensional spaces.
New algorithms ensure reproducibility and optimal convergence in convex optimization.
problem Trade-off between reproducibility and convergence rate in convex optimization.
method Regularization-based algorithms for smooth convex minimization and minimax optimization.
result Achieves optimal reproducibility and near-optimal gradient complexity for various oracle settings.
New algorithm selects robust martingale for optimal stopping problems.
problem Optimal stopping problems in stochastic processes.
method Randomized dual martingale minimization algorithm.
result Efficiently selects Doob martingale as close as possible.
Numerical optimization is an important tool in the field of computational physics in general and in nano-optics in specific. It has attracted attention with the increase in complexity of structures that can be realized with nowadays nano-fabrication technologies for which a rational design is no longer feasible. Also, …
This paper shows how to combine optimal tests into log-optimal processes.
problem How to combine optimal sequential tests into log-optimal processes.
method Using a new class of WAIT e-processes, the paper aggregates asymptotically optimal sequential tests into asymptotically log-optimal processes.
result It is possible to aggregate asymptotically optimal sequential tests into asymptotically log-optimal e-processes.
Learning optimal feedback control laws capable of executing optimal trajectories is essential for many robotic applications. Such policies can be learned using reinforcement learning or planned using optimal control. While reinforcement learning is sample inefficient, optimal control only plans an optimal trajectory fr…
Paper studies optimal control for a specific geometric problem.
problem Optimal control problem associated with the Paneitz obstacle problem.
method Existence and regularity results for optimal controls.
result Existence of optimal controls and their properties.
New algorithm AG-OG optimizes separable convex-concave problems efficiently.
problem Efficiently solving separable convex-concave minimax optimization problems.
method Leverages Nesterov acceleration and optimistic gradient on component and coupling parts of the problem.
result Achieves optimal convergence rate for various settings including bilinearly coupled problems.
Adapts Bayesian optimization for mixed constraints in aircraft design.
problem Optimizing expensive black box functions with mixed constraints.
method Super efficient global optimization with upper trust bound for constraints, Gaussian process uncertainty, refinement procedure.
result Superior performance on aircraft design problem compared to state-of-the-art solvers.