arXiv:2511.19573cs.LGstat.ML2025-11

用神经模型指导搜索,让图优化解更优更快。

Neural Tractability via Structure: Learning-Augmented Algorithms for Graph Combinatorial Optimization

  • 神经模型提供探索性建议,参数化算法高效搜解
  • 解的质量接近商业求解器,且比纯神经模型更好
  • 适合需要高质量解的图优化任务,尤其泛化能力更强

神经模型在求解NP难的图组合优化问题上展现潜力:训练后可快速推理并获得分布内高质量解,但绝对解质量通常不及经典搜索算法(虽慢但能保证最优)。本文提出新框架,结合神经模型的推理效率与搜索算法的解质量保障。具体地,以参数化算法(PAs)作为搜索组件,利用其识别问题中结构简单的易处理部分,并通过参数化分析定位结构复杂部分。神经模型基于数据驱动理解生成建议信号,用于指导复杂部分的探索;参数化搜索则融合建议信号,系统高效地搜索剩余简单部分。该框架不依赖特定神经模型,解质量严格优于纯神经求解器。在多个组合优化任务上,实验显示其解质量显著优于现有神经方法,接近商用求解器水平。同时,因仅用神经模型生成建议信号,框架具备更强的分布外泛化能力,解决现有神经求解器的关键缺陷。

原文摘要 · Abstract (English)

Neural models have shown promise in solving NP-hard graph combinatorial optimization (CO) problems. Once trained, they offer fast inference and reasonably high-quality solutions for in-distribution testing instances, but they generally fall short in terms of absolute solution quality compared to classical search-based algorithms that are admittedly slower but offer optimality guarantee once search finishes. We propose a novel framework that combines the inference efficiency and exploratory power of neural models with the solution quality guarantee of search-based algorithms. In particular, we use parameterized algorithms (PAs) as the search component. PAs are dedicated to identifying easy instances of generally NP-hard problems, and allow for practically efficient search by exploiting structural simplicity (of the identified easy instances). Under our framework, we use parameterized analysis to identify the structurally hard parts of a CO instance. The neural model handles the hard parts by generating advisory signals based on its data-driven understanding. The PA-based search component then integrates the advisory signals to systematically and efficiently searches through the remaining structurally easy parts. Notably, our framework is agnostic to the choice of neural model and produces strictly better solutions than neural solvers alone. We examine our framework on multiple CO tasks. Empirical results show that it achieves superior solution quality, competitive with that of commercial solvers. Furthermore, by using the neural model only for exploratory advisory signals, our framework exhibits improved out-of-distribution generalization, addressing a key limitation of existing neural CO solvers.

图优化神经搜索参数化算法

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