Big Batch Bayesian Active Learning by Considering Predictive Probabilities

Sebastian W. Ober, Samuel Power, Tom Diethe, Henry Moss

Keywords: Bayesian active learning, Gaussian processes, Bayesian deep learning

Abstract: We observe that BatchBALD, a popular acquisition function for batch Bayesian active learning for classification, can conflate epistemic and aleatoric uncertainty, leading to suboptimal performance. Motivated by this observation, we propose to focus on the predictive probabilities, which only exhibit epistemic uncertainty. The result is an acquisition function that not only performs better, but is also faster to evaluate, allowing for larger batches than before.

Submission Number: 35