Bayesian Pool-based Active Learning with Abstention Feedbacks

We study pool-based active learning with abstention feedbacks, where a labeler can abstain from labeling a queried example. We take a Bayesian approach to the problem and propose a general framework that learns both the target classification problem and the unknown abstention pattern at the same time. As specific instances of the framework, we develop two useful greedy algorithms with theoretical guarantees: they respectively achieve the ${(1-\frac{1}{e})}$ factor approximation of the optimal expected or worst-case value of a useful utility function. Our experiments show the algorithms perform well in various practical scenarios.