A Learning Theoretic Perspective on Local Explainability

Jeffrey Li, Vaishnavh Nagarajan, Gregory Plumb, Ameet Talwalkar

Keywords: Interpretability, Learning Theory, Local Explanations, Generalization

Abstract: In this paper, we explore connections between interpretable machine learning and learning theory through the lens of local approximation explanations. First, we tackle the traditional problem of performance generalization and bound the test-time predictive accuracy of a model using a notion of how locally explainable it is. Second, we explore the novel problem of explanation generalization which is an important concern for a growing class of finite sample-based local approximation explanations. Finally, we validate our theoretical results empirically and show that they reflect what can be seen in practice.

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