Modern Bayesian Experimental Design
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Abstract (arXiv)
Bayesian experimental design (BED) provides a powerful and general framework for optimizing the design of experiments. However, its deployment often poses substantial computational challenges that can undermine its practical use. In this review, we outline how recent advances have transformed our ability to overcome these challenges and thus utilize BED effectively, before discussing some key areas for future development in the field.
Key facts. Cited by 121 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 48 of its 164 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 28 Feb 2023.
Builds on
48 of 164 references.
References · 48
- 2014Adam: A Method for Stochastic Optimizationcited by 36,960
- 2018Representation Learning with Contrastive Predictive Codingcited by 7,662
- 2016Variational Inference: A Review for Statisticianscited by 1,466
- 2017Deep Bayesian Active Learning with Image Datacited by 812
- 2018MINE: Mutual Information Neural Estimationcited by 680
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- 2015Importance Weighted Autoencoderscited by 454
- 2019BatchBALD: Efficient and Diverse Batch Acquisition for Deep Bayesian Active Learningcited by 428
- 2017Max-value Entropy Search for Efficient Bayesian Optimizationcited by 202
- 2018Deep Variational Reinforcement Learning for POMDPscited by 122
- 2019Variational Bayesian Optimal Experimental Designcited by 116
- 2021Deep Adaptive Design: Amortizing Sequential Bayesian Experimental Designcited by 103
36 more
- 2014Inconsistency of Bayesian Inference for Misspecified Linear Models, and a Proposal for Repairing Itcited by 92
- 2018Deep Bayesian Active Learning for Natural Language Processing: Results of a Large-Scale Empirical Studycited by 90
- 2015Predictive Entropy Search for Multi-objective Bayesian Optimizationcited by 88
- 2017On Nesting Monte Carlo Estimatorscited by 82
- 2021Active Testing: Sample-Efficient Model Evaluationcited by 82
- 2016Likelihood-free inference by ratio estimationcited by 80
- 2021On Statistical Bias In Active Learning: How and When To Fix Itcited by 72
- 2019Bayesian Batch Active Learning as Sparse Subset Approximationcited by 68
- 2021Implicit Deep Adaptive Design: Policy-Based Experimental Design without Likelihoodscited by 61
- 2019A Unified Stochastic Gradient Approach to Designing Bayesian-Optimal Experimentscited by 58
- 2020Bayesian Experimental Design for Implicit Models by Mutual Information Neural Estimationcited by 56
- 2022Optimizing Sequential Experimental Design with Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 45
- 2015GLASSES: Relieving The Myopia Of Bayesian Optimisationcited by 38
- 2019BINOCULARS for Efficient, Nonmyopic Sequential Experimental Designcited by 35
- 2018Efficient Bayesian Experimental Design for Implicit Modelscited by 34
- 2021Bayesian Algorithm Execution: Estimating Computable Properties of Black-box Functions Using Mutual Informationcited by 33
- 2016Sequential Bayesian optimal experimental design via approximate dynamic programmingcited by 27
- 2021Gradient-based Bayesian Experimental Design for Implicit Models using Mutual Information Lower Boundscited by 26
- 2022Active Surrogate Estimators: An Active Learning Approach to Label-Efficient Model Evaluationcited by 26
- 2021Bayesian Sequential Optimal Experimental Design for Nonlinear Models Using Policy Gradient Reinforcement Learningcited by 22
- 2020Unbiased MLMC stochastic gradient-based optimization of Bayesian experimental designscited by 19
- 2019Optimal experimental design via Bayesian optimization: active causal structure learning for Gaussian process networkscited by 18
- 2021Tight Mutual Information Estimation With Contrastive Fenchel-Legendre Optimizationcited by 18
- 2013On Russian Roulette Estimates for Bayesian Inference with Doubly-Intractable Likelihoodscited by 16
- 2018Simple Regret Minimization for Contextual Banditscited by 16
- 2022Policy-Based Bayesian Experimental Design for Non-Differentiable Implicit Modelscited by 15
- 2018Multilevel Monte Carlo estimation of expected information gainscited by 13
- 2022Robust Expected Information Gain for Optimal Bayesian Experimental Design Using Ambiguity Setscited by 12
- 2018Bayesian design of experiments for intractable likelihood models using coupled auxiliary models and multivariate emulationcited by 10
- 2020Response-adaptive randomization in clinical trials: from myths to practical considerationscited by 10
- 2019Bayesian decision-theoretic design of experiments under an alternative modelcited by 8
- 2022Characterizing the robustness of Bayesian adaptive experimental designs to active learning biascited by 8
- 2021A Scalable Gradient-Free Method for Bayesian Experimental Design with Implicit Modelscited by 7
- 2022Design Amortization for Bayesian Optimal Experimental Designcited by 7
- 2016Practical optimal experiment design with probabilistic programscited by 5
- 2022Efficient Real-world Testing of Causal Decision Making via Bayesian Experimental Design for Contextual Optimisationcited by 3
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Citing papers per year: 2023: 10; 2024: 26; 2025: 42; 2026: 43.
121 papers.
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- 2024Amortized Bayesian Experimental Design for Decision-Makingcited by 20
- 2024(Implicit) Ensembles of Ensembles: Epistemic Uncertainty Collapse in Large Modelscited by 15
- 2024On Subjective Uncertainty Quantification and Calibration in Natural Language Generationcited by 14
- 2024Variational Bayesian Optimal Experimental Design with Normalizing Flowscited by 13
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- 2025Step-DAD: Semi-Amortized Policy-Based Bayesian Experimental Designcited by 12
- 2024Making Better Use of Unlabelled Data in Bayesian Active Learningcited by 10
38 more
- 2024Amortized Active Causal Induction with Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 10
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- 2024Goal-Oriented Bayesian Optimal Experimental Design for Nonlinear Models using Markov Chain Monte Carlocited by 8
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- 2024Active Diffusion Subsamplingcited by 7
- 2025Efficient Evaluation of Multi-Task Robot Policies With Active Experiment Selectioncited by 7
- 2025PABBO: Preferential Amortized Black-Box Optimizationcited by 7
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50 most cited of 121 All 121 (JSON)
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- 2026Targeted Review for AI-Assisted Biodiversity Surveys: Active Continuous-Score Occupancy Modeling22 Sep 2026
- 2026Counterfactual Evaluation of Temporal Observation Protocols23 Aug 2026
- 2026Coverage Aware Active Evaluation for Failure Discovery with Paired Systems13 Aug 2026
- 2026The Greatness of Science Cannot Be Planned: Agentic Auto-Research is Fuzz Testing10 Aug 2026
- 2026OPERA: Operator-residual feedback for reliable autonomous optical experiments with language-model agents6 Aug 2026
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- 2026Origins and mitigation of double descent in reduced order modeling29 Jul 2026
- 2026Robust Bayesian Decision Making under Adversarial Uncertainty9 Jul 2026
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- 2026ATLAS: Active Theory Learning for Automated Science10 Jun 2026
- 2026Active Inference as Context Acquisition for AI Agents8 Jun 2026
- 2026ShaplEIG: Bayesian Experimental Design for Shapley Value Estimation1 Jun 2026
- 2026When Should an AI Scientist Stop? Verifiable Experiment Steering and Refusal for Autonomous Discovery26 May 2026
- 2026Constrained Bayesian Experimental Design via Online Planning26 May 2026
- 2026Hypothesis Generation and Inductive Inference in Children and Language Models23 May 2026
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- 2026Beyond Expected Information Gain: Stable Bayesian Optimal Experimental Design with Integral Probability Metrics and Plug-and-Play Extensions23 Apr 2026
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- 2026Curiosity is Knowledge: Self-Consistent Learning and No-Regret Optimization with Active Inference5 Feb 2026
- 2026Active Causal Experimentalist (ACE): Learning Intervention Strategies via Direct Preference Optimization2 Feb 2026
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- 2025Posterior-driven Heuristic Support Adaptation in a Probabilistic Treatment of Real2Sim2Real for Vision-Driven Deformable Linear Object Manipulation30 Oct 2025
- 2025Active Learning with Task-Driven Representations for Messy Pools29 Oct 2025
50 newest of 121 All 121 (JSON)
- 2026The Greatness of Science Cannot Be Planned: Agentic Auto-Research is Fuzz Testingcited by 1
- 2026Hypothesis Generation and Inductive Inference in Children and Language Modelscited by 0
- 2026OPERA: Operator-residual feedback for reliable autonomous optical experiments with language-model agentscited by 0
- 2026Active Inference as Context Acquisition for AI Agentscited by 0
- 2026WhatWorkedBench: Benchmarking Experimental Understanding in AI Agentscited by 0
- 2026WhatWorkedBench: Benchmarking Experimental Understanding in AI Agents23 Sep 2026
- 2026The Greatness of Science Cannot Be Planned: Agentic Auto-Research is Fuzz Testing10 Aug 2026
- 2026OPERA: Operator-residual feedback for reliable autonomous optical experiments with language-model agents6 Aug 2026
- 2026Active Inference as Context Acquisition for AI Agents8 Jun 2026
- 2026Hypothesis Generation and Inductive Inference in Children and Language Models23 May 2026
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- 2024Active Diffusion Subsampling20 Jun 2024
- 2023Prediction-Oriented Bayesian Active Learningcited by 60
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- 2024CoLoR-Filter: Conditional Loss Reduction Filtering for Targeted Language Model Pre-trainingcited by 20
- 2024Amortized Bayesian Experimental Design for Decision-Makingcited by 20
- 2024(Implicit) Ensembles of Ensembles: Epistemic Uncertainty Collapse in Large Modelscited by 15
- 2024On Subjective Uncertainty Quantification and Calibration in Natural Language Generationcited by 14
- 2024Variational Bayesian Optimal Experimental Design with Normalizing Flowscited by 13
- 2024Nesting Particle Filters for Experimental Design in Dynamical Systemscited by 12
- 2025Step-DAD: Semi-Amortized Policy-Based Bayesian Experimental Designcited by 12
- 2024Making Better Use of Unlabelled Data in Bayesian Active Learningcited by 10
- 2024Amortized Active Causal Induction with Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 10
12 most cited of 110 All 110 (JSON)
- 2026MECHVAR: Variance-Guided Mechanism Discrimination for Autonomous Machine Learning Experiment Selection1 Oct 2026
- 2026Information-theoretic receding-horizon active learning of nonlinear dynamical systems29 Sep 2026
- 2026Targeted Review for AI-Assisted Biodiversity Surveys: Active Continuous-Score Occupancy Modeling22 Sep 2026
- 2026Counterfactual Evaluation of Temporal Observation Protocols23 Aug 2026
- 2026Coverage Aware Active Evaluation for Failure Discovery with Paired Systems13 Aug 2026
- 2026Adaptive Reconstruction of Bosonic Quantum States3 Aug 2026
- 2026Origins and mitigation of double descent in reduced order modeling29 Jul 2026
- 2026Robust Bayesian Decision Making under Adversarial Uncertainty9 Jul 2026
- 2026Bayesian Experimental Design via Score Matching9 Jul 2026
- 2026Efficient Adaptive Data Acquisition via Pretrained Belief Representations23 Jun 2026
- 2026FairBED: A Bayesian Experimental Design Approach to Gathering Fairer Data22 Jun 2026
- 2026ATLAS: Active Theory Learning for Automated Science10 Jun 2026
12 newest of 110 All 110 (JSON)