mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

On The Transferability of Deep-Q Networks

arXiv 2110.02639 ↗First posted 6 Oct 2021cs.LG cs.AIcited by 3

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Abstract (arXiv)

Transfer Learning (TL) is an efficient machine learning paradigm that allows overcoming some of the hurdles that characterize the successful training of deep neural networks, ranging from long training times to the needs of large datasets. While exploiting TL is a well established and successful training practice in Supervised Learning (SL), its applicability in Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) is rarer. In this paper, we study the level of transferability of three different variants of Deep-Q Networks on popular DRL benchmarks as well as on a set of novel, carefully designed control tasks. Our results show that transferring neural networks in a DRL context can be particularly challenging and is a process which in most cases results in negative transfer. In the attempt of understanding why Deep-Q Networks transfer so poorly, we gain novel insights into the training dynamics that characterizes this family of algorithms.

Key facts. Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 33 of its 49 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 6 Oct 2021.

Builds on

33 of 49 references.

References · 33

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21 more
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Citing papers per year: 2022: 1; 2023: 1; 2024: 0; 2025: 1.

3 papers.