arXiv Machine Learning

Accurate Large-sample Uncertainty Quantification using Stochastic Gradient Markov Chain Monte Carlo

arXiv:2606. 00293v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Tuning algorithms such as stochastic gradient descent (SGD) and stochastic gradient Langevin dynamics (SGLD) for approximate sampling and uncertainty quantification remains challenging, particularly in the practically relevant settings when the batch size is large or the model is misspecified.

arXiv Machine Learning
Aug 27

Improved Analysis for Hessian-free High-resolution Monte Carlo Sampling

The paper introduces Hessian-free high-resolution (HFHR) dynamics, an extension of underdamped Langevin dynamics that incorporates reversible position diffusion for sampling in machine learning. It provides an explicit quantitative contraction rate under a position Poincaré inequality, weighted Hessian and Laplacian bounds, and a compact Sobolev embedding, even when the potential is non‑convex. For the HFHR Monte Carlo algorithm, a path‑space Girsanov argument yields a non‑asymptotic convergence bound and an explicit iteration complexity in total variation distance, improving on previous HFHR results and demonstrating benefits of a positive diffusion parameter through numerical experiments.

By Wujun Lv, Xiaoyu Wang, Yingli Wang, Lingjiong Zhu
arXiv Machine Learning
Sep 3

HyperMC: Multi-Fidelity Hyperparameter Tuning for Stochastic Gradient MCMC

HyperMC is a multi‑fidelity hyperparameter tuning framework for stochastic gradient Markov chain Monte Carlo (SGMCMC) that combines Hyperband-style resource allocation with kernel Stein discrepancy (KSD) evaluation. It uses successive‑halving brackets to explore a continuous hyperparameter space while progressively refining promising configurations within a fixed computational budget. Robust HyperMC further introduces global grid initialization and elite‑guided local refinement to reduce sensitivity to random candidate generation and noisy evaluations, and theoretical analysis shows that the successive‑halving component selects a near‑optimal configuration with high probability under suitable conditions.

By Ming Tan, Xiyun Jiao
Hugging Face Trending Papers
Jul 8

Gradient-free Riemannian Langevin Sampler

We address the problem of efficiently sampling multimodal probability distributions, where standard Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods often suffer from poor mixing and mode trapping. To mitigate these issues, we propose Gradient-free Riemannian Langevin Sampler (GRiLS), a novel proposal that improves exploration without requiring gradient evaluations of the target density.

arXiv AI
Jun 2

Efficient Weighted Sampling via Score-based Generative Models

arXiv:2502. 04646v2 Announce Type: replace-cross Abstract: Weighted sampling -- sampling from a probability density function (PDF) proportional to the product of a base PDF and a weight function -- is a fundamental technique with wide-ranging applications in variance reduction, biased sampling, data augmentation, and more.

By Heasung Kim, Taekyun Lee, Hyeji Kim, Gustavo de Veciana
arXiv Machine Learning
Sep 14

High-Probability Convergence of SGD via Batched Updates

The paper introduces Batched SGD, a variant that groups online samples into epochs and performs a single update per epoch using a low‑variance gradient estimate. This batching approach allows a straightforward high‑probability analysis without restrictive assumptions or auxiliary sequences, yielding near‑optimal rates for both strongly convex and non‑convex objectives under standard smoothness and sub‑Gaussian noise conditions. The authors also extend the method to federated learning, providing the first high‑probability guarantees with logarithmic communication complexity, linear speedup in the number of agents, and robustness to data heterogeneity.

By Feng Zhu, Robert W. Heath Jr., Aritra Mitra