Analog Physical Systems Can Exhibit Double Descent

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Dillavou, Sam, Rocks, Jason W, Wycoff, Jacob F, Liu, Andrea J, Durian, Douglas J
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Dillavou, Sam
Rocks, Jason W
Wycoff, Jacob F
Liu, Andrea J
Durian, Douglas J
author_facet Dillavou, Sam
Rocks, Jason W
Wycoff, Jacob F
Liu, Andrea J
Durian, Douglas J
contents An important component of the success of large AI models is double descent, in which networks avoid overfitting as they grow relative to the amount of training data, instead improving their performance on unseen data. Here we demonstrate double descent in a decentralized analog network of self-adjusting resistive elements. This system trains itself and performs tasks without a digital processor, offering potential gains in energy efficiency and speed -- but must endure component non-idealities. We find that standard training fails to yield double descent, but a modified protocol that accommodates this inherent imperfection succeeds. Our findings show that analog physical systems, if appropriately trained, can exhibit behaviors underlying the success of digital AI. Further, they suggest that biological systems might similarly benefit from over-parameterization.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_17825
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Analog Physical Systems Can Exhibit Double Descent
Dillavou, Sam
Rocks, Jason W
Wycoff, Jacob F
Liu, Andrea J
Durian, Douglas J
Disordered Systems and Neural Networks
Machine Learning
An important component of the success of large AI models is double descent, in which networks avoid overfitting as they grow relative to the amount of training data, instead improving their performance on unseen data. Here we demonstrate double descent in a decentralized analog network of self-adjusting resistive elements. This system trains itself and performs tasks without a digital processor, offering potential gains in energy efficiency and speed -- but must endure component non-idealities. We find that standard training fails to yield double descent, but a modified protocol that accommodates this inherent imperfection succeeds. Our findings show that analog physical systems, if appropriately trained, can exhibit behaviors underlying the success of digital AI. Further, they suggest that biological systems might similarly benefit from over-parameterization.
title Analog Physical Systems Can Exhibit Double Descent
topic Disordered Systems and Neural Networks
Machine Learning
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.17825