Thu 16 Jun 2022 13:50 - 14:10 at Toucan - Numbers Chair(s): Chandrakana Nandi
Fri 17 Jun 2022 01:50 - 02:10 at Toucan - Numbers

We propose a new method to approximate the posterior distribution of probabilistic programs by means of computing guaranteed bounds. The starting point of our work is an interval-based trace semantics for a recursive, higher-order probabilistic programming language with continuous distributions. Taking the form of (super-/subadditive) measures, these lower/upper bounds are non-stochastic and provably correct: using the semantics, we prove that the actual posterior of a given program is sandwiched between the lower and upper bounds (soundness); moreover the bounds converge to the posterior (completeness). As a practical and sound approximation, we introduce a weight-aware interval type system, which automatically infers interval bounds on not just the return value but also weight of program executions, simultaneously. We have built a tool implementation, called GuBPI, which automatically computes these posterior lower/upper bounds. Our evaluation on examples from the literature shows that the bounds are useful, and can even be used to recognise wrong outputs from stochastic posterior inference procedures.

Thu 16 Jun

Displayed time zone: Pacific Time (US & Canada) change

13:30 - 14:50
NumbersPLDI at Toucan +12h
Chair(s): Chandrakana Nandi Certora, inc.
13:30
20m
Talk
Choosing Mathematical Function Implementations for Speed and Accuracy
PLDI
Ian Briggs University of Utah, Pavel Panchekha University of Utah
DOI
13:50
20m
Talk
Guaranteed bounds for posterior inference in universal probabilistic programming
PLDI
Raven Beutner CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, Germany, C.-H. Luke Ong University of Oxford, Fabian Zaiser University of Oxford
DOI Pre-print
14:10
20m
Talk
Progressive Polynomial Approximations for Fast Correctly Rounded Math Libraries
PLDI
Mridul Aanjaneya Rutgers University, Jay P. Lim Yale University, Santosh Nagarakatte Rutgers University
Link to publication DOI Pre-print
14:30
20m
Talk
Karp: A Language for NP Reductions
PLDI
Chenhao Zhang Northwestern University, Jason D. Hartline Northwestern University, Christos Dimoulas PLT @ Northwestern University
DOI

Fri 17 Jun

Displayed time zone: Pacific Time (US & Canada) change

01:30 - 02:50
NumbersPLDI at Toucan
01:30
20m
Talk
Choosing Mathematical Function Implementations for Speed and Accuracy
PLDI
Ian Briggs University of Utah, Pavel Panchekha University of Utah
DOI
01:50
20m
Talk
Guaranteed bounds for posterior inference in universal probabilistic programming
PLDI
Raven Beutner CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, Germany, C.-H. Luke Ong University of Oxford, Fabian Zaiser University of Oxford
DOI Pre-print
02:10
20m
Talk
Progressive Polynomial Approximations for Fast Correctly Rounded Math Libraries
PLDI
Mridul Aanjaneya Rutgers University, Jay P. Lim Yale University, Santosh Nagarakatte Rutgers University
Link to publication DOI Pre-print
02:30
20m
Talk
Karp: A Language for NP Reductions
PLDI
Chenhao Zhang Northwestern University, Jason D. Hartline Northwestern University, Christos Dimoulas PLT @ Northwestern University
DOI