Expectations in Expectation Propagation

TL;DR

This paper investigates the behavior of Expectation Propagation in linear models, especially addressing issues caused by messages with infinite integrals, and proposes methods to prevent algorithmic blocking.

Contribution

It introduces new approaches to prevent EP from being blocked by messages with infinite integrals in linear models, enhancing its robustness.

Findings

Proposed non-persistent and persistent methods to avoid infinite integral messages.

Analyzed the relationship between beliefs and messages in linear models.

Developed an approach to prevent messages with infinite integrals from occurring.

Abstract

Expectation Propagation (EP) is a widely used message-passing algorithm that decomposes a global inference problem into multiple local ones. It approximates marginal distributions (beliefs) using intermediate functions (messages). While beliefs must be proper probability distributions that integrate to one, messages may have infinite integral values. In Gaussian-projected EP, such messages take a Gaussian form and appear as if they have "negative" variances. Although allowed within the EP framework, these negative-variance messages can impede algorithmic progress. In this paper, we investigate EP in linear models and analyze the relationship between the corresponding beliefs. Based on the analysis, we propose both non-persistent and persistent approaches that prevent the algorithm from being blocked by messages with infinite integral values. Furthermore, by examining the relationship between the EP messages in linear models, we develop an additional approach that avoids the occurrence of messages with infinite integral values.