Complexity of Training ReLU Neural Networks

Digvijay Boob, Santanu S. Dey, Guanghui Lan

Abstract: In this paper, we explore some basic questions on complexity of training Neural networks with ReLU activation function. We show that it is NP-hard to train a two-hidden layer feedforward ReLU neural network. If dimension d of the data is fixed then we show that there exists a polynomial time algorithm for the same training problem. We also show that if sufficient over-parameterization is provided in the first hidden layer of ReLU neural network then there is a polynomial time algorithm which finds weights such that output of the over-parameterized ReLU neural network matches with the output of the given data.

Keywords: NP-hardness, ReLU activation, Two hidden layer networks