Mathematical Analysis of Machine Learning Algorithms

Tong Zhang

Aug 2023 · Cambridge University Press

About this ebook

The mathematical theory of machine learning not only explains the current algorithms but can also motivate principled approaches for the future. This self-contained textbook introduces students and researchers of AI to the main mathematical techniques used to analyze machine learning algorithms, with motivations and applications. Topics covered include the analysis of supervised learning algorithms in the iid setting, the analysis of neural networks (e.g. neural tangent kernel and mean-field analysis), and the analysis of machine learning algorithms in the sequential decision setting (e.g. online learning, bandit problems, and reinforcement learning). Students will learn the basic mathematical tools used in the theoretical analysis of these machine learning problems and how to apply them to the analysis of various concrete algorithms. This textbook is perfect for readers who have some background knowledge of basic machine learning methods, but want to gain sufficient technical knowledge to understand research papers in theoretical machine learning.

About the author

Tong Zhang is Chair Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where his research focuses on machine learning, big data, and their applications. A Fellow of the IEEE, the American Statistical Association, and the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, Zhang has served as Chair or Area chair at major machine learning conferences such as NeurIPS, ICML, and COLT, and he has been an associate editor for several top machine learning publications including PAMI, JMLR, and 'Machine Learning.'