Global Convergence of Average Reward Constrained MDPs with Neural Critic and General Policy Parameterization
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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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14 more
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- 2021Concave Utility Reinforcement Learning with Zero-Constraint Violationscited by 18
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- 2024Reinforced Sequential Decision-Making for Sepsis Treatment: The POSNEGDM Framework with Mortality Classifier and Transformercited by 6
- 2025Regret Analysis of Average-Reward Unichain MDPs via an Actor-Critic Approachcited by 6
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- 2024An Improved Finite-time Analysis of Temporal Difference Learning with Deep Neural Networkscited by 3
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