Deep Layer-wise Networks Have Closed-Form Weights
Not on the map. Why?
Abstract (arXiv)
There is currently a debate within the neuroscience community over the likelihood of the brain performing backpropagation (BP). To better mimic the brain, training a network textitone layer at a time with only a "single forward pass" has been proposed as an alternative to bypass BP; we refer to these networks as "layer-wise" networks. We continue the work on layer-wise networks by answering two outstanding questions. First, textitdo they have a closed-form solution? Second, textithow do we know when to stop adding more layers? This work proves that the Kernel Mean Embedding is the closed-form weight that achieves the network global optimum while driving these networks to converge towards a highly desirable kernel for classification; we call it the textitNeural Indicator Kernel.
Key facts. Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 34 of its 64 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 1 Feb 2022.
Builds on
34 of 64 references.
References · 34
- 2015Deep Residual Learning for Image Recognitioncited by 51,809
- 2018Representation Learning with Contrastive Predictive Codingcited by 7,662
- 2015Delving Deep into Rectifiers: Surpassing Human-Level Performance on ImageNet Classificationcited by 3,590
- 2018Neural Tangent Kernel: Convergence and Generalization in Neural Networkscited by 2,597
- 2016Understanding deep learning requires rethinking generalizationcited by 1,657
- 2019Energy and Policy Considerations for Deep Learning in NLPcited by 1,242
- 2019Wide Neural Networks of Any Depth Evolve as Linear Models Under Gradient Descentcited by 732
- 2017Deep Neural Networks as Gaussian Processescited by 617
- 2019On Exact Computation with an Infinitely Wide Neural Netcited by 572
- 2016Kernel Mean Embedding of Distributions: A Review and Beyondcited by 360
- 2018Learning and Generalization in Overparameterized Neural Networks, Going Beyond Two Layerscited by 340
- 2018Gaussian Process Behaviour in Wide Deep Neural Networkscited by 314
22 more
- 2019Intrinsic dimension of data representations in deep neural networkscited by 276
- 2019Generalization Bounds of Stochastic Gradient Descent for Wide and Deep Neural Networkscited by 221
- 2018Universality of Deep Convolutional Neural Networkscited by 176
- 2019Scaling Limits of Wide Neural Networks with Weight Sharing: Gaussian Process Behavior, Gradient Independence, and Neural Tangent Kernel Derivationcited by 146
- 2019Training Neural Networks with Local Error Signalscited by 135
- 2018Greedy Layerwise Learning Can Scale to ImageNetcited by 113
- 2019On the Impact of the Activation Function on Deep Neural Networks Trainingcited by 101
- 2018Dendritic cortical microcircuits approximate the backpropagation algorithmcited by 96
- 2019Harnessing the Power of Infinitely Wide Deep Nets on Small-data Taskscited by 87
- 2019Putting An End to End-to-End: Gradient-Isolated Learning of Representationscited by 85
- 2017SGD Learns Over-parameterized Networks that Provably Generalize on Linearly Separable Datacited by 79
- 2019The HSIC Bottleneck: Deep Learning without Back-Propagationcited by 77
- 2016Towards deep learning with segregated dendritescited by 71
- 2015Towards Biologically Plausible Deep Learningcited by 66
- 2015How Important is Weight Symmetry in Backpropagation?cited by 57
- 2014Convolutional Kernel Networkscited by 47
- 2014Avoiding pathologies in very deep networkscited by 33
- 2020Kernelized information bottleneck leads to biologically plausible 3-factor Hebbian learning in deep networkscited by 25
- 2017Layer-wise training of deep networks using kernel similaritycited by 15
- 2020Learning to Learn with Feedback and Local Plasticitycited by 11
- 2018On Kernel Method-Based Connectionist Models and Supervised Deep Learning Without Backpropagationcited by 4
- 2019Iterative Spectral Method for Alternative Clusteringcited by 2
Built on by
Citing papers per year: 2023: 1; 2024: 0; 2025: 1.
2 papers.
- 2023Convolutional Deep Kernel Machinescited by 3
- 2025Information-Theoretic Greedy Layer-wise Training for Traffic Sign Recognitioncited by 0
- 2025Information-Theoretic Greedy Layer-wise Training for Traffic Sign Recognition31 Oct 2025
- 2023Convolutional Deep Kernel Machines18 Sep 2023