Global optimization using random embeddings
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Abstract (arXiv)
We propose a random-subspace algorithmic framework for global optimization of Lipschitz-continuous objectives, and analyse its convergence using novel tools from conic integral geometry. X-REGO randomly projects, in a sequential or simultaneous manner, the high-dimensional original problem into low-dimensional subproblems that can then be solved with any global, or even local, optimization solver. We estimate the probability that the randomly-embedded subproblem shares (approximately) the same global optimum as the original problem. This success probability is then used to show convergence of X-REGO to an approximate global solution of the original problem, under weak assumptions on the problem (having a strictly feasible global solution) and on the solver (guaranteed to find an approximate global solution of the reduced problem with sufficiently high probability). In the particular case of unconstrained objectives with low effective dimension, that only vary over a low-dimensional subspace, we propose an X-REGO variant that explores random subspaces of increasing dimension until finding the effective dimension of the problem, leading to X-REGO globally converging after a finite number of embeddings, proportional to the effective dimension. We show numerically that this variant efficiently finds both the effective dimension and an approximate global minimizer of the original problem.
Key facts. Cited by 6 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 36 of its 73 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 26 Jul 2021.
Builds on
36 of 73 references.
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24 more
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Built on by
Citing papers per year: 2021: 1; 2022: 2; 2023: 0; 2024: 2; 2025: 1.
6 papers.
- 2022Recent Advances in Bayesian Optimizationcited by 74
- 2024Global Optimization of Gaussian Process Acquisition Functions Using a Piecewise-Linear Kernel Approximationcited by 8
- 2021Curvature-Aware Derivative-Free Optimizationcited by 7
- 2022Optimization on Manifolds via Graph Gaussian Processescited by 4
- 2024Dimensionality Reduction Techniques for Global Bayesian Optimisationcited by 1
- 2025Nonlinear Dimensionality Reduction Techniques for Bayesian Optimizationcited by 0
- 2025Nonlinear Dimensionality Reduction Techniques for Bayesian Optimization17 Oct 2025
- 2024Dimensionality Reduction Techniques for Global Bayesian Optimisation12 Dec 2024
- 2024Global Optimization of Gaussian Process Acquisition Functions Using a Piecewise-Linear Kernel Approximation22 Oct 2024
- 2022Optimization on Manifolds via Graph Gaussian Processes20 Oct 2022
- 2022Recent Advances in Bayesian Optimization7 Jun 2022
- 2021Curvature-Aware Derivative-Free Optimization27 Sep 2021