LLaMEA-BO: A Large Language Model Evolutionary Algorithm for Automatically Generating Bayesian Optimization Algorithms

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Li, Wenhu, van Stein, Niki, Bäck, Thomas, Raponi, Elena
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Li, Wenhu
van Stein, Niki
Bäck, Thomas
Raponi, Elena
author_facet Li, Wenhu
van Stein, Niki
Bäck, Thomas
Raponi, Elena
contents Bayesian optimization (BO) is a powerful class of algorithms for optimizing expensive black-box functions, but designing effective BO algorithms remains a manual, expertise-driven task. Recent advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) have opened new avenues for automating scientific discovery, including the automatic design of optimization algorithms. While prior work has used LLMs within optimization loops or to generate non-BO algorithms, we tackle a new challenge: Using LLMs to automatically generate full BO algorithm code. Our framework uses an evolution strategy to guide an LLM in generating Python code that preserves the key components of BO algorithms: An initial design, a surrogate model, and an acquisition function. The LLM is prompted to produce multiple candidate algorithms, which are evaluated on the established Black-Box Optimization Benchmarking (BBOB) test suite from the COmparing Continuous Optimizers (COCO) platform. Based on their performance, top candidates are selected, combined, and mutated via controlled prompt variations, enabling iterative refinement. Despite no additional fine-tuning, the LLM-generated algorithms outperform state-of-the-art BO baselines in 19 (out of 24) BBOB functions in dimension 5 and generalize well to higher dimensions, and different tasks (from the Bayesmark framework). This work demonstrates that LLMs can serve as algorithmic co-designers, offering a new paradigm for automating BO development and accelerating the discovery of novel algorithmic combinations. The source code is provided at https://github.com/Ewendawi/LLaMEA-BO.
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id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_21034
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle LLaMEA-BO: A Large Language Model Evolutionary Algorithm for Automatically Generating Bayesian Optimization Algorithms
Li, Wenhu
van Stein, Niki
Bäck, Thomas
Raponi, Elena
Machine Learning
Neural and Evolutionary Computing
Bayesian optimization (BO) is a powerful class of algorithms for optimizing expensive black-box functions, but designing effective BO algorithms remains a manual, expertise-driven task. Recent advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) have opened new avenues for automating scientific discovery, including the automatic design of optimization algorithms. While prior work has used LLMs within optimization loops or to generate non-BO algorithms, we tackle a new challenge: Using LLMs to automatically generate full BO algorithm code. Our framework uses an evolution strategy to guide an LLM in generating Python code that preserves the key components of BO algorithms: An initial design, a surrogate model, and an acquisition function. The LLM is prompted to produce multiple candidate algorithms, which are evaluated on the established Black-Box Optimization Benchmarking (BBOB) test suite from the COmparing Continuous Optimizers (COCO) platform. Based on their performance, top candidates are selected, combined, and mutated via controlled prompt variations, enabling iterative refinement. Despite no additional fine-tuning, the LLM-generated algorithms outperform state-of-the-art BO baselines in 19 (out of 24) BBOB functions in dimension 5 and generalize well to higher dimensions, and different tasks (from the Bayesmark framework). This work demonstrates that LLMs can serve as algorithmic co-designers, offering a new paradigm for automating BO development and accelerating the discovery of novel algorithmic combinations. The source code is provided at https://github.com/Ewendawi/LLaMEA-BO.
title LLaMEA-BO: A Large Language Model Evolutionary Algorithm for Automatically Generating Bayesian Optimization Algorithms
topic Machine Learning
Neural and Evolutionary Computing
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.21034