English

A Unifying Framework for Reinforcement Learning and Planning

Machine Learning 2022-04-01 v4 Artificial Intelligence Robotics Machine Learning

Abstract

Sequential decision making, commonly formalized as optimization of a Markov Decision Process, is a key challenge in artificial intelligence. Two successful approaches to MDP optimization are reinforcement learning and planning, which both largely have their own research communities. However, if both research fields solve the same problem, then we might be able to disentangle the common factors in their solution approaches. Therefore, this paper presents a unifying algorithmic framework for reinforcement learning and planning (FRAP), which identifies underlying dimensions on which MDP planning and learning algorithms have to decide. At the end of the paper, we compare a variety of well-known planning, model-free and model-based RL algorithms along these dimensions. Altogether, the framework may help provide deeper insight in the algorithmic design space of planning and reinforcement learning.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2006.15009,
  title  = {A Unifying Framework for Reinforcement Learning and Planning},
  author = {Thomas M. Moerland and Joost Broekens and Aske Plaat and Catholijn M. Jonker},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2006.15009},
  year   = {2022}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-23T16:39:08.533Z