Learning Rate-Free Reinforcement Learning: A Case for Model Selection with Non-Stationary Objectives

Fuente: arXiv
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Hauptverfasser: Afshar, Aida, Pacchiano, Aldo
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2024
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author Afshar, Aida
Pacchiano, Aldo
author_facet Afshar, Aida
Pacchiano, Aldo
contents The performance of reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms is sensitive to the choice of hyperparameters, with the learning rate being particularly influential. RL algorithms fail to reach convergence or demand an extensive number of samples when the learning rate is not optimally set. In this work, we show that model selection can help to improve the failure modes of RL that are due to suboptimal choices of learning rate. We present a model selection framework for Learning Rate-Free Reinforcement Learning that employs model selection methods to select the optimal learning rate on the fly. This approach of adaptive learning rate tuning neither depends on the underlying RL algorithm nor the optimizer and solely uses the reward feedback to select the learning rate; hence, the framework can input any RL algorithm and produce a learning rate-free version of it. We conduct experiments for policy optimization methods and evaluate various model selection strategies within our framework. Our results indicate that data-driven model selection algorithms are better alternatives to standard bandit algorithms when the optimal choice of hyperparameter is time-dependent and non-stationary.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2408_04046
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Learning Rate-Free Reinforcement Learning: A Case for Model Selection with Non-Stationary Objectives
Afshar, Aida
Pacchiano, Aldo
Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence
The performance of reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms is sensitive to the choice of hyperparameters, with the learning rate being particularly influential. RL algorithms fail to reach convergence or demand an extensive number of samples when the learning rate is not optimally set. In this work, we show that model selection can help to improve the failure modes of RL that are due to suboptimal choices of learning rate. We present a model selection framework for Learning Rate-Free Reinforcement Learning that employs model selection methods to select the optimal learning rate on the fly. This approach of adaptive learning rate tuning neither depends on the underlying RL algorithm nor the optimizer and solely uses the reward feedback to select the learning rate; hence, the framework can input any RL algorithm and produce a learning rate-free version of it. We conduct experiments for policy optimization methods and evaluate various model selection strategies within our framework. Our results indicate that data-driven model selection algorithms are better alternatives to standard bandit algorithms when the optimal choice of hyperparameter is time-dependent and non-stationary.
title Learning Rate-Free Reinforcement Learning: A Case for Model Selection with Non-Stationary Objectives
topic Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2408.04046