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Although with progress in introducing auxiliary amortized inference models, learning discrete latent variable models is still challenging. In this paper, we show that the annoying difficulty of obtaining reliable stochastic gradients for…
We introduce a new approach to learning in hierarchical latent-variable generative models called the "distributed distributional code Helmholtz machine", which emphasises flexibility and accuracy in the inferential process. In common with…
Stochastic approximation (SA) that involves multiple coupled sequences, known as multiple-sequence SA (MSSA), finds diverse applications in the fields of signal processing and machine learning. However, existing theoretical understandings…
Stochastic Approximation (SA) is a classical algorithm that has had since the early days a huge impact on signal processing, and nowadays on machine learning, due to the necessity to deal with a large amount of data observed with…
This paper proposes a new family of algorithms for training neural networks (NNs). These are based on recent developments in the field of non-convex optimization, going under the general name of successive convex approximation (SCA)…
Learning from different data types is a long-standing goal in machine learning research, as multiple information sources co-occur when describing natural phenomena. However, existing generative models that approximate a multimodal ELBO rely…
Stochastic approximation with multiple coupled sequences (MSA) has found broad applications in machine learning as it encompasses a rich class of problems including bilevel optimization (BLO), multi-level compositional optimization (MCO),…
We introduce a "learning-based" algorithm for the low-rank decomposition problem: given an $n \times d$ matrix $A$, and a parameter $k$, compute a rank-$k$ matrix $A'$ that minimizes the approximation loss $\|A-A'\|_F$. The algorithm uses a…
Based on the stochastic maximum principle for the partially coupled forward-backward stochastic control system (FBSCS for short), a modified method of successive approximations (MSA for short) is established for stochastic recursive optimal…
Our examination of deep generative models (DGMs) developed for semi-supervised learning (SSL), mainly GANs and VAEs, reveals two problems. First, mode missing and mode covering phenomenons are observed in genertion with GANs and VAEs.…
This paper investigates the stability and convergence properties of asynchronous stochastic approximation (SA) algorithms, with a focus on extensions relevant to average-reward reinforcement learning. We first extend a stability proof…
We consider learning problems over training sets in which both, the number of training examples and the dimension of the feature vectors, are large. To solve these problems we propose the random parallel stochastic algorithm (RAPSA). We…
Efficient unsupervised training and inference in deep generative models remains a challenging problem. One basic approach, called Helmholtz machine, involves training a top-down directed generative model together with a bottom-up auxiliary…
Stochastic approximation (SA) is a powerful class of iterative algorithms for nonlinear root-finding that can be used for minimizing a loss function, $L(\boldsymbol{\theta})$, with respect to a parameter vector $\boldsymbol{\theta}$, when…
We consider learning problems over training sets in which both, the number of training examples and the dimension of the feature vectors, are large. To solve these problems we propose the random parallel stochastic algorithm (RAPSA). We…
This paper investigates the supervised learning problem with observations drawn from certain general stationary stochastic processes. Here by \emph{general}, we mean that many stationary stochastic processes can be included. We show that…
We introduce a new method for training deep Boltzmann machines jointly. Prior methods of training DBMs require an initial learning pass that trains the model greedily, one layer at a time, or do not perform well on classification tasks. In…
Two-timescale Stochastic Approximation (SA) algorithms are widely used in Reinforcement Learning (RL). Their iterates have two parts that are updated using distinct stepsizes. In this work, we develop a novel recipe for their finite sample…
Many machine learning and optimization algorithms can be cast as instances of stochastic approximation (SA). The convergence rate of these algorithms is known to be slow, with the optimal mean squared error (MSE) of order $O(n^{-1})$. In…
The development of neuromorphic hardware and modeling of biological neural networks requires algorithms with local learning rules. Artificial neural networks using local learning rules to perform principal subspace analysis (PSA) and…