Embedding Learning on Multiplex Networks for Link Prediction

TL;DR

This paper reviews embedding learning models for multiplex networks in link prediction, proposing refined classifications, addressing evaluation fairness, and introducing a new testing procedure for directed networks to improve future research.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive taxonomy of models, discusses evaluation challenges, and proposes a novel testing method for directed multiplex networks.

Findings

Refined taxonomies for classifying embedding models

Addressed reproducibility and fairness in evaluations

Proposed a new testing procedure for directed multiplex networks

Abstract

Over the past years, embedding learning on networks has shown tremendous results in link prediction tasks for complex systems, with a wide range of real-life applications. Learning a representation for each node in a knowledge graph allows us to capture topological and semantic information, which can be processed in downstream analyses later. In the link prediction task, high-dimensional network information is encoded into low-dimensional vectors, which are then fed to a predictor to infer new connections between nodes in the network. As the network complexity (that is, the numbers of connections and types of interactions) grows, embedding learning turns out increasingly challenging. This review covers published models on embedding learning on multiplex networks for link prediction. First, we propose refined taxonomies to classify and compare models, depending on the type of embeddings and embedding techniques. Second, we review and address the problem of reproducible and fair evaluation of embedding learning on multiplex networks for the link prediction task. Finally, we tackle evaluation on directed multiplex networks by proposing a novel and fair testing procedure. This review constitutes a crucial step towards the development of more performant and tractable embedding learning approaches for multiplex networks and their fair evaluation for the link prediction task. We also suggest guidelines on the evaluation of models, and provide an informed perspective on the challenges and tools currently available to address downstream analyses applied to multiplex networks.