Ambiguity-aware Artificial Intelligence via Statistical Inference

Abstract

Recent successes of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) in computer vision and natural language processing have garnered a great deal of attention. At the same time, ML and AI systems are built for straightforward prediction tasks by design and are not designed to handle ambiguity and uncertainty. There is a lot of empirical evidence that such methods can fail in ambiguous situations. In this project, we aim to develop methods that can help machine learning systems better deal with ambiguity, by leveraging ideas from statistical inference. Statistical reasoning has been successful for more than a hundred years in helping deal with noisy, ambiguous data. We aim to leverage such ideas (e.g., confidence intervals, prediction sets) and adapt them to modern machine learning and artificial intelligence scenarios; by also leveraging other notions and results from applied mathematics, including combinatorics and group theory. Our methods will be generally applicable to a broad range of learning problems and models and are expected to improve the reliability of machine learning and artificial intelligence systems.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Feb 06, 2025
Source ID
FA95502410150

Entities

People

  • Edgar Dobriban

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • United States Air Force
  • University of Pennsylvania

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Geospatial Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence Analytics
  • Theoretical Analysis.

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • AI & ML - DoD AI Strategy
  • AI & ML - Neural Networks