# A Free-Energy Principle for Representation Learning

Source: [A Free-Energy Principle for Representation Learning](<https://www.sota2.com/research/paper/68fa67211e209131cea147e2>)

Collection index: [llms.txt](<https://www.sota2.com/research/llms.txt>)

Data updated: 2025-10-25T22:07:19.924Z

Authors: Yansong Gao, Pratik Chaudhari

Published: 2020-02-27T19:44:49.000Z

## Abstract

This paper employs a formal connection of machine learning with thermodynamics to characterize the quality of learnt representations for transfer learning. We discuss how information-theoretic functional such as rate, distortion and classification loss of a model lie on a convex, so-called equilibrium surface.We prescribe dynamical processes to traverse this surface under constraints, e.g., an iso-classification process that trades off rate and distortion to keep the classification loss unchanged. We demonstrate how this process can be used for transferring representations from a source dataset to a target dataset while keeping the classification loss constant. Experimental validation of the theoretical results is provided on standard image-classification datasets.

## Recorded benchmark results

A research result applies to its stated dataset, split, metric and evaluation configuration. Compare like-for-like settings, preserve the metric's unit and direction, and distinguish paper-reported results from independent reproduction. The best result recorded here is not a claim of exhaustive, current global coverage.

## Original sources and implementation

[Original paper](<https://arxiv.org/abs/2002.12406>)

[PDF](<https://arxiv.org/pdf/2002.12406.pdf>)