arXiv Machine Learning

No-Regret Mixing of LRU and LFU with Optimal Switching Cost

arXiv Machine Learning
Sep 21

From Switching to Dynamic Regret: A Simple Reduction via Unbiased Random Sequences

The paper introduces a straightforward framework that transforms dynamic regret minimization into switching regret minimization by constructing an unbiased random sequence for any comparator sequence. Using this reduction, the authors derive dynamic regret bounds for strongly convex and exp-concave losses of “~O(T^{1/3}P_T^{2/3})” and for general convex losses of “O(√{T(1+P_T)})”, matching known minimax optimal results. The approach leverages off-the-shelf switching regret algorithms and controlled variance to achieve these bounds.

By Yibo Wang, Wenhao Yang, Sifan Yang, Yuanyu Wan, Lijun Zhang
arXiv Machine Learning
Sep 14

Satisficing Regret Minimization in Bandits: Constant Rate and Light-Tailed Distribution

The paper introduces SELECT, an algorithmic framework for satisficing regret minimization in bandit problems, achieving constant expected satisficing regret when a satisficing arm exists. A variant, SELECT‑LITE, further ensures a light‑tailed satisficing regret distribution while maintaining constant expected regret in the realizable case and sub‑linear standard regret otherwise. Experiments on synthetic data and a real‑world dynamic pricing scenario demonstrate the practical effectiveness of both algorithms.

By Qing Feng, Tianyi Ma, Ruihao Zhu
arXiv AI
Sep 25

Canopy: Exploiting Piecewise Smooth Tree Priors for Multi-Fidelity Bandits

CANOPY is a multi‑fidelity tree bandit algorithm that learns where a piecewise‑smooth prior holds instead of assuming global smoothness. It uses cheap random‑path probes to certify local aggregation bias and then focuses expensive leaf evaluations on cells where smoothness is violated. The method achieves provable fixed‑budget and regret guarantees that scale with the number of discontinuities, matching smooth‑tree rates when no violations exist and approaching structure‑blind search when violations are dense.

By Michael Jerge, Suman Jana
arXiv AI
Jun 9

Bandits for Efficient Experimentation: Adapting to Control Group, Preferences, and Context Drifts

arXiv:2606. 09802v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: We consider a variant of the linear contextual stochastic multi-armed bandits, where the learner must provide recommendations to a group of users, each having its personalized preference vector, and in the presence of context distributions that are drifting over time.

By Udvas Das, Waris Radji, Debabrota Basu, Odalric-Ambrym Maillard
arXiv AI
Jul 14

Efficient Online Proportional Sampling with Applications to Smoothed Online Learning

arXiv:2607. 10963v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: We study the problem of efficient online proportional sampling from a high-dimensional domain under a $\sigma$-smoothed adversary, where the sampling distribution is induced by a dynamically evolving weight function defined over a sequence of piecewise-structured partitions.

By Amirmahdi Mirfakhar, Maria-Florina Balcan, Hedyeh Beyhaghi
arXiv Machine Learning
Aug 18

Online Convex Optimization with Dueling Feedback

arXiv:2608. 15050v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: We study online convex optimization with dueling (pairwise comparison) feedback, where the learner observes only a binary preference between two queried points.

By Yiyang Lu, Hareshkumar Jadav, Mohammad Pedramfar, Ranveer Singh, Vaneet Aggarwal