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This research advances theoretical machine learning by demonstrating how higher-order interactions in sparse associative memory models significantly boost storage capacity, achieving super-polynomial scales under specific architectural conditions. The study bridges classical Hopfield dynamics with sparse regime constraints, offering new mathematical insights into the limits of pattern recognition and memory density in neural networks.
On associative neural networks for sparse patterns with huge capacities
arXiv:2603.26217v2 Announce Type: replace-cross Abstract: Generalized Hopfield models with higher-order or exponential interaction terms are known to have substantially larger storage capacities than the classical quadratic model. On the other hand, associative memories for sparse patterns, such as the Willshaw and Amari models, already exhibit enhanced storage capacities in the sparse regime. In this paper we combine these two mechanisms. We introduce higher-order versions of sparse associative memory models and study their storage capacities in the sense of fixed-pattern stability. For the Amari and Willshaw models with fixed interaction order $n$, we obtain storage scales of order $\frac{N^n}{(\log N)^n}$. When the interaction order grows logarithmically with the number of neurons, the resulting storage scale becomes super-polynomial. We also study higher-order interactions in the block-structured Gripon--Berrou architecture, where the natural storage scale is of order $c^n$. Our results show that the capacity increase caused by higher-order interactions persists in the sparse setting, while the precise storage scale depends on the underlying architecture.
Abstract:Generalized Hopfield models with higher-order or exponential interaction terms are known to have substantially larger storage capacities than the classical quadratic model. On the other hand, associative memories for sparse patterns, such as the Willshaw and Amari models, already exhibit enhanced storage capacities in the sparse regime. In this paper we combine these two mechanisms. We introduce higher-order versions of sparse associative memory models and study their storage capacities in the sense of fixed-pattern stability. For the Amari and Willshaw models with fixed interaction order $n$, we obtain storage scales of order $\frac{N^n}{(\log N)^n}$. When the interaction order grows logarithmically with the number of neurons, the resulting storage scale becomes super-polynomial. We also study higher-order interactions in the block-structured Gripon--Berrou architecture, where the natural storage scale is of order $c^n$. Our results show that the capacity increase caused by higher-order interactions persists in the sparse setting, while the precise storage scale depends on the underlying architecture.
Probability (math.PR); Machine Learning (cs.LG)
arXiv:2603.26217 [math.PR]
(or arXiv:2603.26217v2 [math.PR] for this version)
https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2603.26217 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite
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