Related papers: The Vizier Gaussian Process Bandit Algorithm
Gaussian graphical models are relevant tools to learn conditional independence structure between variables. In this class of models, Bayesian structure learning is often done by search algorithms over the graph space. The conjugate prior…
Bayesian optimization (BO) has established itself as a leading strategy for efficiently optimizing expensive-to-evaluate functions. Existing BO methods mostly rely on Gaussian process (GP) surrogate models and are not applicable to…
In many scientific and engineering applications, we are tasked with the maximisation of an expensive to evaluate black box function $f$. Traditional settings for this problem assume just the availability of this single function. However, in…
Gaussian process priors are commonly used in aerospace design for performing Bayesian optimization. Nonetheless, Gaussian processes suffer two significant drawbacks: outliers are a priori assumed unlikely, and the posterior variance…
Bandit convex optimisation is a fundamental framework for studying zeroth-order convex optimisation. This book covers the many tools used for this problem, including cutting plane methods, interior point methods, continuous exponential…
We consider a version of the continuum armed bandit where an action induces a filtered realisation of a non-homogeneous Poisson process. Point data in the filtered sample are then revealed to the decision-maker, whose reward is the total…
The PC algorithm is a popular method for learning the structure of Gaussian Bayesian networks. It carries out statistical tests to determine absent edges in the network. It is hence governed by two parameters: (i) The type of test, and (ii)…
We devise an algorithm using a Bayesian optimization framework in conjunction with contextual visual data for the efficient localization of objects in still images. Recent research has demonstrated substantial progress in object…
Bayesian optimal experimental design has immense potential to inform the collection of data so as to subsequently enhance our understanding of a variety of processes. However, a major impediment is the difficulty in evaluating optimal…
Bayesian Optimization (BO) methods are useful for optimizing functions that are expen- sive to evaluate, lack an analytical expression and whose evaluations can be contaminated by noise. These methods rely on a probabilistic model of the…
Through sequential construction of posteriors on observing data online, Bayes' theorem provides a natural framework for continual learning. We develop Variational Auto-Regressive Gaussian Processes (VAR-GPs), a principled posterior updating…
A key requirement for the current generation of artificial decision-makers is that they should adapt well to changes in unexpected situations. This paper addresses the situation in which an AI for aerial dog fighting, with tunable…
We present a formal model of human decision-making in explore-exploit tasks using the context of multi-armed bandit problems, where the decision-maker must choose among multiple options with uncertain rewards. We address the standard…
Gaussian Processes (GPs) are a generic modelling tool for supervised learning. While they have been successfully applied on large datasets, their use in safety-critical applications is hindered by the lack of good performance guarantees. To…
When applying Machine Learning techniques to problems, one must select model parameters to ensure that the system converges but also does not become stuck at the objective function's local minimum. Tuning these parameters becomes a…
We introduce a novel way to combine boosting with Gaussian process and mixed effects models. This allows for relaxing, first, the zero or linearity assumption for the prior mean function in Gaussian process and grouped random effects models…
This thesis focuses on Bayesian optimization with the improvements coming from two aspects:(i) the use of derivative information to accelerate the optimization convergence; and (ii) the consideration of scalable GPs for handling massive…
The popularity of Bayesian optimization methods for efficient exploration of parameter spaces has lead to a series of papers applying Gaussian processes as surrogates in the optimization of functions. However, most proposed approaches only…
Robotic algorithms typically depend on various parameters, the choice of which significantly affects the robot's performance. While an initial guess for the parameters may be obtained from dynamic models of the robot, parameters are usually…
High-dimensional problems have long been considered the Achilles' heel of Bayesian optimization algorithms. Spurred by the curse of dimensionality, a large collection of algorithms aim to make it more performant in this setting, commonly by…