mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

Global Convergence of Average Reward Constrained MDPs with Neural Critic and General Policy Parameterization

arXiv 2603.07698 ↗First posted 8 Mar 2026cs.LGcited by 1

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Abstract (arXiv)

We study infinite-horizon Constrained Markov Decision Processes (CMDPs) with general policy parameterizations and multi-layer neural network critics. Existing theoretical analyses for constrained reinforcement learning largely rely on tabular policies or linear critics, which limits their applicability to high-dimensional and continuous control problems. We propose a primal-dual natural actor-critic algorithm that integrates neural critic estimation with natural policy gradient updates and leverages Neural Tangent Kernel (NTK) theory to control function-approximation error under Markovian sampling, without requiring access to mixing-time oracles. We establish global convergence and cumulative constraint violation rates of tildeO(T^-1/4) up to approximation errors induced by the policy and critic classes. Our results provide the first such guarantees for CMDPs with general policies and multi-layer neural critics, substantially extending the theoretical foundations of actor-critic methods beyond the linear-critic regime.

Key facts. Cited by 1 paper in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 26 of its 38 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 8 Mar 2026.

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26 of 38 references.

References · 26

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  8. 2021On the Convergence and Sample Efficiency of Variance-Reduced Policy Gradient Methodcited by 67
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  10. 2019DeepPool: Distributed Model-free Algorithm for Ride-sharing using Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 54
  11. 2023Stochastic Policy Gradient Methods: Improved Sample Complexity for Fisher-non-degenerate Policiescited by 53
  12. 2020Single-Timescale Actor-Critic Provably Finds Globally Optimal Policycited by 34
14 more
  1. 2022Learning Infinite-Horizon Average-Reward Markov Decision Processes with Constraintscited by 29
  2. 2021Finite-Sample Analysis of Off-Policy Natural Actor-Critic Algorithmcited by 26
  3. 2023Improved Sample Complexity Analysis of Natural Policy Gradient Algorithm with General Parameterization for Infinite Horizon Discounted Reward Markov Decision Processescited by 24
  4. 2022Achieving Zero Constraint Violation for Constrained Reinforcement Learning via Conservative Natural Policy Gradient Primal-Dual Algorithmcited by 19
  5. 2021Concave Utility Reinforcement Learning with Zero-Constraint Violationscited by 18
  6. 2022Finite-Time Analysis of Entropy-Regularized Neural Natural Actor-Critic Algorithmcited by 17
  7. 2023First Order Methods with Markovian Noise: from Acceleration to Variational Inequalitiescited by 14
  8. 2024Sample-Efficient Constrained Reinforcement Learning with General Parameterizationcited by 11
  9. 2024Learning General Parameterized Policies for Infinite Horizon Average Reward Constrained MDPs via Primal-Dual Policy Gradient Algorithmcited by 9
  10. 2025Global Convergence for Average Reward Constrained MDPs with Primal-Dual Actor Critic Algorithmcited by 8
  11. 2024Reinforced Sequential Decision-Making for Sepsis Treatment: The POSNEGDM Framework with Mortality Classifier and Transformercited by 6
  12. 2025Regret Analysis of Average-Reward Unichain MDPs via an Actor-Critic Approachcited by 6
  13. 2026Regret Analysis of Unichain Average Reward Constrained MDPs with General Parameterizationcited by 4
  14. 2024An Improved Finite-time Analysis of Temporal Difference Learning with Deep Neural Networkscited by 3

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