Almost Sure Convergence
Almost sure convergence, a concept crucial in stochastic optimization and machine learning, focuses on proving that iterative algorithms will almost certainly reach a desired solution, rather than just converging in expectation. Current research emphasizes achieving high-probability convergence guarantees, particularly for algorithms like AdaGrad and Adam, even under challenging conditions such as heavy-tailed noise in stochastic gradients, often addressed through techniques like gradient clipping. This rigorous analysis is vital for ensuring the reliability and robustness of machine learning models, especially in applications like deep learning and large language models, where heavy-tailed noise is prevalent. Improved convergence guarantees enhance the trustworthiness and predictability of these algorithms in practical applications.
Papers
Nonlinear Stochastic Gradient Descent and Heavy-tailed Noise: A Unified Framework and High-probability Guarantees
Aleksandar Armacki, Shuhua Yu, Pranay Sharma, Gauri Joshi, Dragana Bajovic, Dusan Jakovetic, Soummya Kar
From Gradient Clipping to Normalization for Heavy Tailed SGD
Florian Hübler, Ilyas Fatkhullin, Niao He