CONFIDERAI: a novel CONFormal Interpretable-by-Design score function for Explainable and Reliable Artificial Intelligence

TL;DR

This paper introduces CONFIDERAI, a new score function for explainable AI that combines conformal prediction with rule-based classifiers to enhance reliability, interpretability, and probabilistic guarantees in machine learning systems.

Contribution

It proposes a novel conformal score function integrating rule predictive ability, geometrical positioning, and overlap, linking conformal prediction with explainable rule-based classifiers.

Findings

Promising results on real-world datasets like DNS tunneling detection.

Improved performance in conformal guarantees for rule-based classifiers.

Enhanced interpretability and reliability in AI systems.

Abstract

Everyday life is increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence, and there is no question that machine learning algorithms must be designed to be reliable and trustworthy for everyone. Specifically, computer scientists consider an artificial intelligence system safe and trustworthy if it fulfills five pillars: explainability, robustness, transparency, fairness, and privacy. In addition to these five, we propose a sixth fundamental aspect: conformity, that is, the probabilistic assurance that the system will behave as the machine learner expects. In this paper, we present a methodology to link conformal prediction with explainable machine learning by defining a new score function for rule-based classifiers that leverages rules predictive ability, the geometrical position of points within rules boundaries and the overlaps among rules as well, thanks to the definition of a geometrical rule similarity term. Furthermore, we address the problem of defining regions in the feature space where conformal guarantees are satisfied, by exploiting the definition of conformal critical set and showing how this set can be used to achieve new rules with improved performance on the target class. The overall methodology is tested with promising results on several datasets of real-world interest, such as domain name server tunneling detection or cardiovascular disease prediction.