Bayesian State-Space Neural Networks (BSSNN): A Novel Framework for Interpretable and Probabilistic Neural Models

Author(s): Shenggang Li

Originally published on Towards AI.

Integrating Bayesian Theory, State-Space Dynamics, and Neural Network Structures for Enhanced Probabilistic Forecasting

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When building supervised learning models, such as predicting binary outcomes, traditional neural networks excel at making accurate predictions but often lack the ability to explain why the target behaves in a certain way. That’s where the Bayesian State-Space Neural Network (BSSNN) offers a novel solution. I’ve developed this framework to explicitly model the conditional probability of the target variable given the inputs, combining high prediction accuracy with interpretability. By integrating Bayesian probability, state-space modeling, and neural network structures, BSSNN provides a flexible and insightful approach to machine learning.

BSSNN merges three core strengths: Bayesian principles to quantify uncertainty and ensure interpretability, state-space modeling to capture temporal or sequential dependencies, and neural networks to handle complex, nonlinear relationships. Unlike conventional models that only focus on predicting the target, BSSNN goes further by modeling the dynamic relationships between inputs and outputs, making it particularly useful for multivariate or time-dependent data.

I’ve also extended BSSNN to predict X∣y, flipping the traditional direction of inference. This means instead of only predicting outcomes, we can now explore what input features are associated with specific outcomes. For example, in a binary classification… Read the full blog for free on Medium.

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Published via Towards AI