Year: 2023
Type: preprint
Abstract: Multi-objective reinforcement learning (MORL) extends traditional RL by seeking policies making different compromises among conflicting objectives. The recent surge of interest in MORL has led to diverse studies and solving methods, often drawing from existing knowledge in multi-objective optimization based on decomposition (MOO/D). Yet, a clear categorization based on both RL and MOO/D is lacking in the existing literature. Consequently, MORL researchers face difficulties when trying to classify contributions within a broader context due to the absence of a standardized taxonomy. To tackle such an issue, this paper introduces multi-objective reinforcement learning based on decomposition (MORL/D), a novel methodology bridging the literature of RL and MOO. A comprehensive taxonomy for MORL/D is presented, providing a structured foundation for categorizing existing and potential MORL works. The introduced taxonomy is then used to scrutinize MORL research, enhancing clarity and conciseness through well-defined categorization. Moreover, a flexible framework derived from the taxonomy is introduced. This framework accommodates diverse instantiations using tools from both RL and MOO/D. Its versatility is demonstrated by implementing it in different configurations and assessing it on contrasting benchmark problems. Results indicate MORL/D instantiations achieve comparable performance to current state-of-the-art approaches on the studied problems. By presenting the taxonomy and framework, this paper offers a comprehensive perspective and a unified vocabulary for MORL. This not only facilitates the identification of algorithmic contributions but also lays the groundwork for novel research avenues in MORL.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Institutions: University of Luxembourg, Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust, Université de Lille, Centre Inria de l'Université de Lille, Centre de Recherche en Informatique, Signal et Automatique de Lille, BONUS: Optimisation de grande taille et calcul large échelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Language: English
Subfield: Artificial Intelligence
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Award: G8217828981
OpenAlex ID: W4388927876