Combining Local Symmetry Exploitation and Reinforcement Learning for Optimised Probabilistic Inference -- A Work In Progress

Efficient probabilistic inference by variable elimination in graphical models requires an optimal elimination order. However, finding an optimal order is a challenging combinatorial optimisation problem for models with a large number of random variables. Most recently, a reinforcement learning approach has been proposed to find efficient contraction orders in tensor networks. Due to the duality between graphical models and tensor networks, we adapt this approach to probabilistic inference in graphical models. Furthermore, we incorporate structure exploitation into the process of finding an optimal order. Currently, the agent's cost function is formulated in terms of intermediate result sizes which are exponential in the number of indices (i.e., random variables). We show that leveraging specific structures during inference allows for introducing compact encodings of intermediate results which can be significantly smaller. By considering the compact encoding sizes for the cost function instead, we enable the agent to explore more efficient contraction orders. The structure we consider in this work is the presence of local symmetries (i.e., symmetries within a model's factors).

@article{hamid2025_2503.08786,
  title={ Combining Local Symmetry Exploitation and Reinforcement Learning for Optimised Probabilistic Inference -- A Work In Progress },
  author={ Sagad Hamid and Tanya Braun },
  journal={arXiv preprint arXiv:2503.08786},
  year={ 2025 }
}