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Main Authors: Lauand, Caio Kalil, Meyn, Sean
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.04424
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author Lauand, Caio Kalil
Meyn, Sean
author_facet Lauand, Caio Kalil
Meyn, Sean
contents Simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA) is an approach to gradient-free optimization introduced by Spall as a simplification of the approach of Kiefer and Wolfowitz. In many cases the most attractive option is the single-sample version known as 1SPSA, which is the focus of the present paper, containing two major contributions: a modification of the algorithm designed to ensure convergence from arbitrary initial condition, and a new approach to exploration to dramatically accelerate the rate of convergence. Examples are provided to illustrate the theory, and to demonstrate that estimates from unmodified 1SPSA may diverge even for a quadratic objective function.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_04424
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Global Convergence and Acceleration for Single Observation Gradient Free Optimization
Lauand, Caio Kalil
Meyn, Sean
Optimization and Control
62L20
Simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA) is an approach to gradient-free optimization introduced by Spall as a simplification of the approach of Kiefer and Wolfowitz. In many cases the most attractive option is the single-sample version known as 1SPSA, which is the focus of the present paper, containing two major contributions: a modification of the algorithm designed to ensure convergence from arbitrary initial condition, and a new approach to exploration to dramatically accelerate the rate of convergence. Examples are provided to illustrate the theory, and to demonstrate that estimates from unmodified 1SPSA may diverge even for a quadratic objective function.
title Global Convergence and Acceleration for Single Observation Gradient Free Optimization
topic Optimization and Control
62L20
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.04424