arXiv AI

Data storytelling meets interpretable machine learning: Decoding AI decisions for non-experts without revealing sensitive data and model details

The paper proposes a framework that blends data storytelling with interpretable machine learning (IML) to make AI decisions more understandable to non-experts while protecting sensitive data. It introduces formal concepts such as the DIST Pyramid and the I-P-O Model, and builds an architecture that generates "What-if" and "Why-not" explanations using SHAP values and large language models. A case study on the Boston Housing dataset shows that participants found these data stories significantly more comprehensible and accessible than traditional SHAP visualizations.

arXiv AI
6d ago

A Synthetic Ground-Truth Framework for the Evaluation of Explainable AI Methods

The paper introduces a synthetic ground‑truth framework for evaluating explainable AI (XAI) methods, addressing the lack of reliable evaluation procedures. By using controlled interventions to create datasets where the importance of input components is known, the framework generates ground‑truth explanations that align with the model’s actual decision process. The authors apply this approach to binary images, tabular data, and time series, and find that nine popular XAI methods exhibit significant limitations, underscoring the need for intervention‑based benchmarks.

By Miquel Mir\'o-Nicolau, Francesco Spinnato, Riccardo Guidotti
arXiv AI
Sep 15

Generative Interpretability via Scalable Neuro-Symbolic Models

The paper argues that as Large Language Models transition from chatbots to agentic systems, the current post-hoc interpretability paradigm is insufficient for safe deployment because it cannot audit or intervene before an output is produced. It proposes a shift to generative interpretability, where a model’s inference process inherently exposes semantically meaningful checkpoints that are human-understandable and can be causally intervened upon. The authors illustrate the advantages of this approach and introduce Neuro‑Symbolic Models as a concrete implementation.

By Xiaocong Yang
arXiv AI
Sep 11

XAI-Arena: Can LLMs Assess the Quality of XAI Explanations?

XAI-Arena proposes using large language models (LLMs) as judges to evaluate the quality of explainable AI (XAI) explanations, aiming for reproducibility, scalability, and multidimensional assessment. The framework assesses dimensions such as simplicity, clarity, task adequacy, trust calibration, actionability, transparency, faithfulness, and overall interpretability across different datasets, models, and stakeholder personas. Human validation shows a strong positive correlation between LLM-generated and human ratings (Spearman's rho = .693, p < .001), supporting the viability of LLM-based evaluations.

By Yanfei Hu Fleischhauer, Alona Zharova, Nadja Klein, Stefan Feuerriegel
arXiv AI
Aug 19

Communicating Credit Risk with Large Language Models: Evaluation of Explanations from Standard and Alternative Data-Based Models

The study investigates whether Large Language Models (LLMs) can translate technical explanations from credit risk models into stakeholder-friendly narratives. Using Freddie Mac loan data, the authors compare standard tabular models (XGBoost + SHAP) with alternative data pipelines (GNN + GNNExplainer and a bimodal mix) and generate explanations with three LLM configurations: a small fine‑tuned Gemma 3 4B, a large fine‑tuned DeepSeek R1 70B, and a zero‑shot Gemini 2.5. Findings show that the quality of explanations is more dependent on the evidence representation than on the LLM, that narratives reliably identify influential factors but are less consistent about the direction of influence, and that credit professionals demand higher evidentiary standards than non‑professionals.

By Sahab Zandi, Noah Kostesku, Christophe Mues, Mar\'ia \'Oskarsd\'ottir, Cristi\'an Bravo
arXiv AI
Aug 19

Can Large Language Models Explain Flight Safety Events? A Prior-Guided Semantic LLM-based Approach

The paper introduces FlightLLM, a prior-guided semantic approach that uses large language models to explain flight safety events. It tackles challenges such as modal inconsistency, limited classification ability, and scarce domain data by combining feature engineering, semantic discretization, a CatBoost statistical expert, contrastive few-shot learning, and structured prompts. Evaluated on 704 real‑world A320 flights, FlightLLM achieves competitive classification and produces clear, aviation‑specific explanations for hard landing events.

By Lu Xu, Xu Li, Linjiang Zheng, Fan Li, Riquan Zhang, Jiaxing Shang
arXiv AI
Jun 11

The Standard Interpretable Model: A general theory of interpretable machine learning to deductively design interpretable methods using Lagrangian mechanics

arXiv:2606. 12289v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: As Artificial Intelligence models grow in complexity, interpretability has become an indispensable tool for understanding, debugging, and controlling their computations.

By Pietro Barbiero, Giovanni De Felice, Mateo Espinosa Zarlenga, Francesco Giannini, Filippo Bonchi, Mateja Jamnik, Giuseppe Marra, Ruggero Noris