English

On Spectral Learning for Odeco Tensors: Perturbation, Initialization, and Algorithms

Machine Learning 2025-09-30 v1 Machine Learning Numerical Analysis Numerical Analysis Statistics Theory Statistics Theory

Abstract

We study spectral learning for orthogonally decomposable (odeco) tensors, emphasizing the interplay between statistical limits, optimization geometry, and initialization. Unlike matrices, recovery for odeco tensors does not hinge on eigengaps, yielding improved robustness under noise. While iterative methods such as tensor power iterations can be statistically efficient, initialization emerges as the main computational bottleneck. We investigate perturbation bounds, non-convex optimization analysis, and initialization strategies, clarifying when efficient algorithms attain statistical limits and when fundamental barriers remain.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2509.25126,
  title  = {On Spectral Learning for Odeco Tensors: Perturbation, Initialization, and Algorithms},
  author = {Arnab Auddy and Ming Yuan},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.25126},
  year   = {2025}
}
R2 v1 2026-07-01T06:05:20.730Z