Reward is not the optimization target — LessWrong

Models Don't "Get Reward" — LessWrong

Models don't "get" reward. Reward is the mechanism by which we select parameters, it is not something "given" to the model. Reinforcement learning sh…

Training AI Agents with RL | Unsloth Documentation

Learn how to train AI agents for real-world tasks using Reinforcement Learning (RL).

Asymmetry of verification and verifier’s rule — Jason Wei

Asymmetry of verification is the idea that some tasks are much easier to verify than to solve. With reinforcement learning (RL) that finally works in a general sense, asymmetry of verification is becoming one of the most important ideas in AI.  Understanding asymmetry of verification th

Paper page - Harness-1: Reinforcement Learning for Search Agents with State-Externalizing Harnesses

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Memory Efficient RL | Unsloth Documentation

We're excited to introduce more efficient reinforcement learning (RL) in Unsloth with multiple algorithmic advancements:

The Futility of Bias-Free Learning and Search

Building on the view of machine learning as search, we demonstrate the necessity of bias in learning, quantifying the role of bias (measured relative to a collection of possible datasets, or more generally, information resources) in increasing the probability of success. For a given degree of bias towards a fixed target, we show that the proportion of favorable information resources is strictly bounded from above. Furthermore, we demonstrate that bias is a conserved quantity, such that no algorithm can be favorably biased towards many distinct targets simultaneously. Thus bias encodes trade-offs. The probability of success for a task can also be measured geometrically, as the angle of agreement between what holds for the actual task and what is assumed by the algorithm, represented in its bias. Lastly, finding a favorably biasing distribution over a fixed set of information resources is provably difficult, unless the set of resources itself is already favorable with respect to the given task and algorithm.

The Futility of Bias-Free Learning and Search

Building on the view of machine learning as search, we demonstrate the necessity of bias in learning, quantifying the role of bias (measured relative to a collection of possible datasets, or more generally, information resources) in increasing the probability of success. For a given degree of bias towards a fixed target, we show that the proportion of favorable information resources is strictly bounded from above. Furthermore, we demonstrate that bias is a conserved quantity, such that no algorithm can be favorably biased towards many distinct targets simultaneously. Thus bias encodes trade-offs. The probability of success for a task can also be measured geometrically, as the angle of agreement between what holds for the actual task and what is assumed by the algorithm, represented in its bias. Lastly, finding a favorably biasing distribution over a fixed set of information resources is provably difficult, unless the set of resources itself is already favorable with respect to the given task and algorithm.

Why Tool AIs Want to Be Agent AIs

AIs limited to pure computation (Tool AIs) supporting humans, will be less intelligent, efficient, and economically valuable than more autonomous reinforcement-learning AIs (Agent AIs) who act on their own and meta-learn, because all problems are reinforcement-learning problems.

Faulty reward functions in the wild

Reinforcement learning algorithms can break in surprising, counterintuitive ways. In this post we’ll explore one failure mode, which is where you misspecify your reward function.

#Exploration: A Study of Count-Based Exploration for Deep...

Count-based exploration algorithms are known to perform near-optimally when used in conjunction with tabular reinforcement learning (RL) methods for solving small discrete Markov decision...

Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback

The authoritative guide for Reinforcement learning from human feedback, alignment, and post-training LLMs. Aligning AI models to human preferences helps them become safer, smarter, easier to use, and tuned to the exact style the creator desires. Reinforcement Learning From Human Feedback (RHLF) is the process for using human responses to a model’s output to shape its alignment, and therefore its behavior. In Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback, author Nathan Lambert blends diverse perspectives from fields like philosophy and economics with the core mathematics and computer science of RLHF to provide a practical guide you can use to apply RLHF to your models. In Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback you’ll discover: How today’s most advanced AI models are taught from human feedback How large-scale preference data is collected and how to improve your data pipelines A comprehensive overview with derivations and implementations for the core policy-gradient methods used to train AI models with reinforcement learning (RL) Direct Preference Optimization (DPO), direct alignment algorithms, and simpler methods for preference finetuning How RLHF methods led to the current reinforcement learning from verifiable rewards (RLVR) renaissance Tricks used in industry to round out models, from product, character or personality training, AI feedback, and more How to approach evaluation and how evaluation has changed over the years Standard recipes for post-training combining more methods like instruction tuning with RLHF Behind-the-scenes stories from building open models like Llama-Instruct, Zephyr, Olmo, and Tülu After ChatGPT used RLHF to become production-ready, this foundational technique exploded in popularity. In Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback, AI expert Nathan Lambert gives a true industry insider's perspective on modern RLHF training pipelines, and their trade-offs. Using hands-on experiments and mini-implementations, Nathan clearly and concisely introduces the alignment techniques that can transform a generic base model into a human-friendly tool.

WRKSHP.tools | Risk Reward Matrix

The Risk Reward Matrix helps you to balance Risk and Reward when choosing among options.

Against optimization

One of the most inescapable edicts when leading a team is the order to optimize the system towards the organization’s goals.