The paper proves that several decision and approximation problems for ReLU neural networks are computationally hard. For any number of layers λ≥2, deciding whether a network’s output is positive (and thus whether it is surjective) is W[ℓ−1]-hard when parameterized by the input dimension d. In particular, for two-layer networks, the related geometric problem of zonotope non‑containment is W[1]-hard in the ambient dimension, and computing or approximating the Lp‑Lipschitz constant is NP‑hard and W[ℓ−1]-hard with respect to d. The results also show that these problems remain hard when parameterized by the number of layers for constant d, implying that naive enumeration algorithms running in n^{(ℓ−1)d}·poly(N) time are essentially optimal under the Exponential Time Hypothesis.
By Vincent Froese, Moritz Grillo, Christoph Hertrich, Moritz Stargalla
arXiv:2607. 07778v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Bubeck, Li and Nagaraj conjectured that, for generic data, any two-layer neural network with $m$ neurons that fits $n$ noisy labels must have Lipschitz constant at least of order $\sqrt{n/m}$, with no restriction on the size of the weights.
By Yitzchak Shmalo
The paper introduces MACCHIATO, a training algorithm that builds a ReLU‑MLP from partial truth‑table data while simultaneously constructing an explicit Boolean circuit over AND, OR, and XOR gates that certifies the network’s computation. The method iteratively projects residuals onto low‑dimensional Boolean classes, compiles the resulting circuit into a ReLU‑MLP, and uses logic minimization and influence‑based variable selection to achieve a six‑layer network with provable truth‑table error bounds. Experiments on synthetic random‑junta tasks show that these certified networks outperform Adam‑trained MLPs in data‑sparse or projection‑aligned regimes and complete faster than flat ESPRESSO in certain settings.
By Hrad Ghoukasian, Anastasis Kratsios
arXiv:2608.23877v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: We prove a depth hierarchy for ReLU neural networks in which every additional ReLU layer can save exponentially many neurons. For every $\ell\geq 3$, a...
By Itay Safran
arXiv:2609.39768v1 Announce Type: cross
Abstract: Certifying a deployed neural network raises decision problems that the verification literature has not classified: whether the model carries a backdo...
By Adrian Wurm
arXiv:2607. 10589v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: In contrast to most studies on neural network approximation theory that characterize results through a single parameter, such as the total number of network parameters, \cite{shen2020deep} pioneered the characterization of approximation rates as a joint function of the width parameter $N$ and the depth parameter $L$, thereby granting greater architectural flexibility.
By Yanming Lai, Defeng Sun, Yang Wang
arXiv:2609. 03129v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Several classical machine-learning methods, such as KRRs and SVRs, are both computationally and analytically tractable since their estimators either admit closed-form expressions or are obtained by minimizing convex training objectives; neither feature is generally available for deep neural networks.
By Ruiyang Hong, Hrad Ghoukasian, Anastasis Kratsios
arXiv:2609.09130v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: An input may activate few hidden units even when different inputs collectively use an entire network. We study the statistical complexity of this input...
By Xiaoyu Li, Zhizhou Sha, Jiaojiao Jiang, Junbin Gao, Andi Han
arXiv:2609. 25710v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: The statistical accuracy of neural networks depends on both their approximation power and the complexity of the class fitted from data.
By Baicheng Li, Zuowei Shen, Haizhao Yang, Shijun Zhang
arXiv:2606. 17319v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Motivated by the optimization of bounded binary black-box functions, we study the problem of learning polynomial surrogates over the Boolean hypercube.
By Jasper van Doornmalen, Mathieu Molina, Victor Verdugo, Jos\'e Verschae
arXiv:2510. 04060v3 Announce Type: replace-cross Abstract: We establish two related but logically distinct results for shallow ReLU$^k$ neural networks on the unit sphere $\SS^d$.
By Tong Mao, Jinchao Xu
The paper establishes the optimal incremental first‑order oracle (IFO) complexity for nonconvex finite‑sum optimization under individual smoothness, proving a matching lower bound that closes a previously missing √{n} factor. It also refines the analysis of the PAGE algorithm under the global Polyak‑Lojasiewicz condition, providing tighter guarantees for different ranges of the condition number. The authors introduce a novel dense weak hiding construction that yields these lower bounds and demonstrates the limits of existing methods.
By Yuxing Peng, Zhiqing Tang, Weijia Jia