Addressing Robustness in Adversarial Training with Self-Guided Label Refinement

Core Concepts

Label refinement in adversarial training mitigates robust overfitting by addressing noisy labels.

Abstract

The paper introduces Self-Guided Label Refinement (SGLR) to improve adversarial robustness by refining label distributions. It identifies the issue of robust overfitting in adversarial training due to noisy labels and proposes a method to combat it. SGLR self-refines accurate labels from over-confident hard labels, incorporating knowledge from previous models without external teachers. Experimental results show improved accuracy and robust performance across datasets, attack types, and architectures. The study also delves into the memorization effect of noisy labels during training and proposes a strategy for label refinement based on information theory. The method is compared against other techniques like label smoothing and knowledge distillation, showing superior performance in reducing generalization gaps and achieving higher robust accuracy under various adversaries.

Stats

Empirical results demonstrate that our method can simultaneously boost the standard accuracy and robust performance across multiple benchmark datasets, attack types, and architectures. Our approach can achieve robust accuracy up to 56.4% and close the generalization gap to merely 0.4%. Various regularization techniques have been attempted to mitigate robust overfitting. Loss reweighting and weight smoothing are proposed as regularizations specifically designed for robust training.

Quotes

"We first identify a connection between robust overfitting and the excessive memorization of noisy labels in AT." "Our method is conceptually simple yet significantly enhances the learning of deep models in adversarial scenarios." "Our approach consistently improves the test accuracy over the state-of-the-art on various benchmark datasets against diverse adversaries."

Key Insights Distilled From

Soften to Defend

by Daiwei Yu,Zh... at arxiv.org 03-15-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2403.09101.pdf

Deeper Inquiries

How does SGLR compare to other methods like label smoothing or knowledge distillation in terms of computational efficiency

Self-Guided Label Refinement (SGLR) offers a unique approach to addressing label noise in adversarial training compared to other methods like label smoothing or knowledge distillation. In terms of computational efficiency, SGLR stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness. Unlike knowledge distillation, which involves the use of teacher models and additional computations, SGLR does not require external teachers or modifications to the existing architecture. This makes SGLR more computationally efficient as it dynamically refines labels using self-distilled models during training without adding significant overhead. Label smoothing, on the other hand, can introduce bias when applied directly in adversarial training settings. While label smoothing is effective in standard training scenarios for improving model calibration and generalization, it may not be as suitable for robust learning due to potential mismatches between true label distributions and perturbed labels used in adversarial examples. Overall, SGLR strikes a balance between computational efficiency and effectiveness by leveraging self-guided refinement without the need for complex teacher-student architectures or extensive computations.

What implications does the study's findings have on improving model interpretability beyond just enhancing robustness

The findings of this study have broader implications beyond just enhancing model robustness; they also offer insights into improving model interpretability. By addressing label noise through methods like Self-Guided Label Refinement (SGLR), we can enhance not only the robustness but also the transparency of deep learning models. One key aspect where these findings impact interpretability is in reducing overfitting caused by noisy labels during adversarial training. By mitigating robust overfitting through techniques like SGLR that refine labels based on informative distributions learned by the model itself, we can improve the reliability of predictions while maintaining a better understanding of how the model processes information. Additionally, by focusing on calibrating models against noisy labels and avoiding memorization effects induced by distribution mismatch, we create more interpretable models that make decisions based on meaningful features rather than spurious correlations introduced by noisy data.

How might addressing label noise through methods like SGLR impact real-world applications of deep learning models

Addressing label noise through methods like Self-Guided Label Refinement (SGLR) has significant implications for real-world applications of deep learning models across various domains: Improved Model Performance: By reducing overfitting caused by noisy labels during adversarial training with techniques like SGLR, deep learning models can achieve higher accuracy and robustness when deployed in practical applications such as image classification systems or autonomous vehicles. Enhanced Trustworthiness: Models trained with reduced reliance on noisy labels are more trustworthy and reliable in critical decision-making tasks where errors could have serious consequences. This increased trustworthiness enhances user confidence in deploying AI systems. Better Generalization: Addressing label noise leads to improved generalization capabilities of deep learning models across diverse datasets and scenarios. This means that these models are better equipped to handle unseen data points accurately without compromising performance. Interpretability: By focusing on refining labels based on informative distributions learned during training with methods like SGLR, we enhance model interpretability by ensuring that decisions are made based on meaningful features rather than erroneous associations from noisy data.