Adaptive Variational Inference in Probabilistic Graphical Models: Beyond Bethe, Tree-Reweighted, and Convex Free Energies

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Hauptverfasser: Leisenberger, Harald, Pernkopf, Franz
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Leisenberger, Harald
Pernkopf, Franz
author_facet Leisenberger, Harald
Pernkopf, Franz
contents Variational inference in probabilistic graphical models aims to approximate fundamental quantities such as marginal distributions and the partition function. Popular approaches are the Bethe approximation, tree-reweighted, and other types of convex free energies. These approximations are efficient but can fail if the model is complex and highly interactive. In this work, we analyze two classes of approximations that include the above methods as special cases: first, if the model parameters are changed; and second, if the entropy approximation is changed. We discuss benefits and drawbacks of either approach, and deduce from this analysis how a free energy approximation should ideally be constructed. Based on our observations, we propose approximations that automatically adapt to a given model and demonstrate their effectiveness for a range of difficult problems.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2502_03341
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Adaptive Variational Inference in Probabilistic Graphical Models: Beyond Bethe, Tree-Reweighted, and Convex Free Energies
Leisenberger, Harald
Pernkopf, Franz
Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence
Variational inference in probabilistic graphical models aims to approximate fundamental quantities such as marginal distributions and the partition function. Popular approaches are the Bethe approximation, tree-reweighted, and other types of convex free energies. These approximations are efficient but can fail if the model is complex and highly interactive. In this work, we analyze two classes of approximations that include the above methods as special cases: first, if the model parameters are changed; and second, if the entropy approximation is changed. We discuss benefits and drawbacks of either approach, and deduce from this analysis how a free energy approximation should ideally be constructed. Based on our observations, we propose approximations that automatically adapt to a given model and demonstrate their effectiveness for a range of difficult problems.
title Adaptive Variational Inference in Probabilistic Graphical Models: Beyond Bethe, Tree-Reweighted, and Convex Free Energies
topic Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.03341