BlendRL: A Framework for Merging Symbolic and Neural Policy Learning

Published: 22 Jan 2025, Last Modified: 02 Mar 2025ICLR 2025 SpotlightEveryoneRevisionsBibTeXCC BY 4.0
Keywords: Neuro-Symbolic AI, Differentiable Reasoning, Reinforcement Learning, Interpretable AI, First-order logic
TL;DR: We propose a framework that jointly learns symbolic and neural policies for reinforcement learning.
Abstract: Humans can leverage both symbolic reasoning and intuitive responses. In contrast, reinforcement learning policies are typically encoded in either opaque systems like neural networks or symbolic systems that rely on predefined symbols and rules. This disjointed approach severely limits the agents’ capabilities, as they often lack either the flexible low-level reaction characteristic of neural agents or the interpretable reasoning of symbolic agents. To overcome this challenge, we introduce *BlendRL*, a neuro-symbolic RL framework that harmoniously integrates both paradigms. We empirically demonstrate that BlendRL agents outperform both neural and symbolic baselines in standard Atari environments, and showcase their robustness to environmental changes. Additionally, we analyze the interaction between neural and symbolic policies, illustrating how their hybrid use helps agents overcome each other's limitations.
Primary Area: neurosymbolic & hybrid AI systems (physics-informed, logic & formal reasoning, etc.)
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Submission Number: 7559
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