Related papers: Consensus-based optimization for closed-box advers…
In this paper we propose a variant of a consensus-based global optimization (CBO) method that uses personal best information in order to compute the global minimum of a non-convex, locally Lipschitz continuous function. The proposed…
In this work we study the mean-field description of Consensus-Based Optimization (CBO), a derivative-free particle optimization method. Such a description is provided by a non-local SDE of McKean-Vlasov type, whose fields lack of global…
Mammalian brains handle complex reasoning tasks in a gestalt manner by integrating information from regions of the brain that are specialised to individual sensory modalities. This allows for improved robustness and better generalisation…
Contextual Bayesian optimization (CBO) is a powerful framework for sequential decision-making given side information, with important applications, e.g., in wind energy systems. In this setting, the learner receives context (e.g., weather…
This research reports on the recent development of a black-box optimization method based on single-step deep reinforcement learning (DRL), and on its conceptual proximity to evolution strategy (ES) techniques. In the fashion of policy…
Constrained reinforcement learning has achieved promising progress in safety-critical fields where both rewards and constraints are considered. However, constrained reinforcement learning methods face challenges in striking the right…
We present a new method of blackbox optimization via gradient approximation with the use of structured random orthogonal matrices, providing more accurate estimators than baselines and with provable theoretical guarantees. We show that this…
Optimizing functions without access to gradients is the remit of black-box methods such as evolution strategies. While highly general, their learning dynamics are often times heuristic and inflexible - exactly the limitations that…
A new universal derivative-free optimization method CDOS (Conjugate Direction with Orthogonal Shift) is proposed. The CDOS method was specially developed to solve optimization tasks where the objective function and constraints are black…
Gradient-free optimization methods, such as surrogate based optimization (SBO) methods, and genetic (GAs), or evolutionary (EAs) algorithms have gained popularity in the field of constrained optimization of expensive black-box functions.…
Data privacy is an important concern in learning, when datasets contain sensitive information about individuals. This paper considers consensus-based distributed optimization under data privacy constraints. Consensus-based optimization…
Bayesian optimization (BO) is a model-based approach to sequentially optimize expensive black-box functions, such as the validation error of a deep neural network with respect to its hyperparameters. In many real-world scenarios, the…
In this paper we propose polarized consensus-based dynamics in order to make consensus-based optimization (CBO) and sampling (CBS) applicable for objective functions with several global minima or distributions with many modes, respectively.…
Adversarial example generation becomes a viable method for evaluating the robustness of a machine learning model. In this paper, we consider hard-label black-box attacks (a.k.a. decision-based attacks), which is a challenging setting that…
In discrete-variable black-box optimization, the number of candidate solutions grows combinatorially, while each evaluation is often expensive. Therefore, it is important to identify promising solutions efficiently within a limited number…
Iterative optimization is central to modern artificial intelligence (AI) and provides a crucial framework for understanding adaptive systems. This review provides a unified perspective on this subject, bridging classic theory with neural…
Consensus based optimization (CBO) employs a swarm of particles evolving as a system of stochastic differential equations (SDEs). Recently, it has been adapted to yield a derivative free sampling method referred to as consensus based…
Bayesian optimization (BO) developed as an approach for the efficient optimization of expensive black-box functions without gradient information. A typical BO paper introduces a new approach and compares it to some alternatives on simulated…
The global optimization of a high-dimensional black-box function under black-box constraints is a pervasive task in machine learning, control, and engineering. These problems are challenging since the feasible set is typically non-convex…
In this paper, we introduce a novel variant of the CBO method that incorporates jumps according to an $\alpha$-stable stochastic process in a kinetic framework. This extension gives rise to nonlocal stochastic effects, which improve the…