Bilevel optimization has recently regained interest owing to its applications in emerging machine learning fields such as hyperparameter optimization, meta-learning, and reinforcement learning. Recent results have shown that simple alternating (implicit) gradient-based algorithms can match the convergence rate of single-level gradient descent (GD) when addressing bilevel problems with a strongly convex lower-level objective. However, it remains unclear whether this result can be generalized to bilevel problems beyond this basic setting.

Amortized Bayesian inference (ABI) offers fast, scalable approximations to posterior densities by training neural surrogates on data simulated from the statistical model. However, ABI methods are highly sensitive to model misspecification: when observed data fall outside the training distribution (generative scope of the statistical models), neural surrogates can behave unpredictably. This makes it a challenge in a model comparison setting, where multiple statistical models are considered, of which at least some are misspecified. Recent work on self-consistency (SC) provides a promising remedy to this issue, accessible even for empirical data (without ground-truth labels). In this work, we investigate how SC can improve amortized model comparison conceptualized in four different ways. Across two synthetic and two real-world case studies, we find that approaches for model comparison that estimate marginal likelihoods through approximate parameter posteriors consistently outperform methods that directly approximate model evidence or posterior model probabilities. SC training improves robustness when the likelihood is available, even under severe model misspecification. The benefits of SC for methods without access of analytic likelihoods are more limited and inconsistent. Our results suggest practical guidance for reliable amortized Bayesian model comparison: prefer parameter posterior-based methods and augment them with SC training on empirical datasets to mitigate extrapolation bias under model misspecification.

Recent work \cite{arifgroup} introduced Federated Proximal Gradient \textbf{(\texttt{FedProxGrad})} for solving non-convex composite optimization problems in group fair federated learning. However, the original analysis established convergence only to a \textit{noise-dominated neighborhood of stationarity}, with explicit dependence on a variance-induced noise floor. In this work, we provide an improved asymptotic convergence analysis for a generalized \texttt{FedProxGrad}-type analytical framework with inexact local proximal solutions and explicit fairness regularization. We call this extended analytical framework \textbf{DS \texttt{FedProxGrad}} (Decay Step Size \texttt{FedProxGrad}). Under a Robbins-Monro step-size schedule \cite{robbins1951stochastic} and a mild decay condition on local inexactness, we prove that $\liminf_{r\to\infty} \mathbb{E}[\|\nabla F(\mathbf{x}^r)\|^2] = 0$, i.e., the algorithm is asymptotically stationary and the convergence rate does not depend on a variance-induced noise floor.

With the increasing reliance on AI models for weather forecasting, it is imperative to evaluate their vulnerability to adversarial perturbations. This work introduces Weather Adaptive Adversarial Perturbation Optimization (W AAPO), a novel framework for generating targeted adversarial perturbations that are both effective in manipulating forecasts and stealthy to avoid detection. W AAPO achieves this by incorporating constraints for channel sparsity, spatial localization, and smoothness, ensuring that perturbations remain physically realistic and imperceptible. Using the ERA5 dataset and FourCastNet (Pathak et al. 2022), we demonstrate W AAPO's ability to generate adversarial trajectories that align closely with predefined targets, even under constrained conditions. Our experiments highlight critical vulnerabilities in AI-driven forecasting models, where small perturbations to initial conditions can result in significant deviations in predicted weather patterns. These findings underscore the need for robust safeguards to protect against adversarial exploitation in operational forecasting systems. The code for W AAPO is available at: https://github.com/Huzaifa-Arif/W

Previous research has reported that large language models (LLMs) demonstrate poor performance on the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams. However, recent reasoning models have achieved strong results on graduate-level academic and professional examinations across various disciplines. In this paper, we evaluate state-of-the-art reasoning models on a set of mock CFA exams consisting of 980 questions across three Level I exams, two Level II exams, and three Level III exams. Using the same pass/fail criteria from prior studies, we find that most models clear all three levels. The models that pass, ordered by overall performance, are Gemini 3.0 Pro, Gemini 2.5 Pro, GPT-5, Grok 4, Claude Opus 4.1, and DeepSeek-V3.1. Specifically, Gemini 3.0 Pro achieves a record score of 97.6% on Level I. Performance is also strong on Level II, led by GPT-5 at 94.3%. On Level III, Gemini 2.5 Pro attains the highest score with 86.4% on multiple-choice questions while Gemini 3.0 Pro achieves 92.0% on constructed-response questions.

Abstract--The integration of advanced technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), into manufacturing processes is attracting significant attention, paving the way for the development of intelligent systems that enhance efficiency and automation. This paper uses the term "Gentelligent system" to refer to systems that incorporate inherent component information (akin to genes in bioinformatics--where manufacturing operations are likened to chromosomes in this study) and automated mechanisms. By implementing reliable fault detection methods, manufacturers can achieve several benefits, including improved product quality, increased yield, and reduced production costs. T o support these objectives, we propose a hybrid framework with a dominance-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. This mechanism enables simultaneous optimization of feature selection and classification performance by exploring Pareto-optimal solutions in a single run. This solution helps monitor various manufacturing operations, addressing a range of conflicting objectives that need to be minimized together . Manufacturers can leverage such predictive methods and better adapt to emerging trends. T o strengthen the validation of our model, we incorporate two real-world datasets from different industrial domains. The results on both datasets demonstrate the generalizability and effectiveness of our approach. ORE recently, manufacturing has embraced the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), where digital sensors, network technologies, and gentelligent components are integrated into manufacturing processes. A gentelligent component, as defined in the Collaborative Research Centre 653 project [1], refers to components that intrinsically store information. The focus of that work is on encoding and preserving data within physical parts throughout the product lifecycle. Inspired by this concept, we extend the notion into what we define as a "gentelligent system."