arXiv Machine Learning

Improved Gradient Descent Lower Bounds Beyond Nesterov

The paper investigates the limits of accelerating gradient descent (GD) using predetermined step sizes in smooth convex optimization. It establishes new lower bounds: an ≥·n−1.6342 non‑anytime bound and an ≥·n−1.2408 anytime bound, surpassing previous results. These findings also demonstrate a strict separation between convergence exponents achievable in non‑anytime versus anytime settings.

arXiv Machine Learning
Aug 12

A lower bound for stepsize-based acceleration of gradient descent

arXiv:2608. 10418v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Recent work has shown that, for smooth convex optimization, plain gradient descent can be accelerated from its textbook convergence rate of $O(T^{-1})$ (where $T$ denotes the number of iterations) to $O\big(T^{-\log_2(1+\sqrt{2})}\big)$ using carefully designed stepsize schedules alone, without resorting to momentum or other algorithmic modifications.

By Jianhao Ma, Yuxin Chen
arXiv Machine Learning
Jul 14

Lower Bound on the Cumulative Constrained Violation for the OGD+Projection algorithm for Constrained Online Convex Optimization (COCO)

arXiv:2607. 10808v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: The problem of constrained online convex optimization is considered, where at each round, once a learner commits to an action $x_t \in \mathcal{X} \subset \mathbb{R}^d$, a convex loss function $f_t$ and a convex constraint function $g_t$ that drives the constraint $g_t(x)\le 0$ are revealed.

By Haricharan Balasundaram, Karthick Krishna Mahendran, Rahul Vaze