Feature weighting for data analysis via evolutionary simulation

Daniilidis, Aris, Corella, Alberto Domínguez, Wissgott, Philipp

arXiv.org Artificial Intelligence 

We analyze an algorithm for assigning weights prior to scalarization in discrete multi-objective problems arising from data analysis. The algorithm evolves the weights (the relevance of features) by a replicator-type dynamic on the standard simplex, with update indices computed from a normalized data matrix. We prove that the resulting sequence converges globally to a unique interior equilibrium, yielding non-degenerate limiting weights. The method, originally inspired by evolutionary game theory, differs from standard weighting schemes in that it is analytically tractable with provable convergence.