Mean Field Approaches to Learning Dynamics in Deep Networks

Deep neural network learning dynamics are very complex with large numbers of learnable weights and many sources of disorder. In this talk, I will discuss mean field approaches to analyze the learning dynamics of neural networks in large system size limits when starting from random initial conditions. The result of this analysis is a dynamical mean field theory (DMFT) where all neurons obey independent stochastic single site dynamics. Correlation functions (kernels) and response functions for the features and gradients at each layer can be computed self-consistently from these stochastic processes. Depending on the choice of scaling of the network output, the network can operate in a kernel regime or a feature learning regime in the infinite width limit. I will discuss how this theory can be used to analyze various learning rules for deep architectures (backpropagation, feedback alignment based rules, Hebbian learning etc), where the weight updates do not necessarily correspond to gradient descent on an energy function. I will then present recent extensions of this theory to residual networks at infinite depth and discuss the utility of deriving scaling limits to obtain consistent optimal hyperparameters (such as learning rate) across widths and depths. Feature learning in other types of architectures will be discussed if time permits. Lastly, I will discuss open problems and challenges associated with this theoretical approach to neural network learning dynamics.