Estimating Implicit Expected Log Density Ratios

Avi Amalanshu, Chandler Squires, Yizhou Lu, Pradeep Ravikumar

When exact probabilities cannot be computed, \emph{density ratio estimation (DRE)} is a key subroutine in the wide range of applications where density ratios appear, from experimental design to generative modelling and reinforcement learning. In this paper, we introduce the concept of an \emph{expected log density ratio (ELDR)}: log density ratios that are integrated under some third, possibly distinct measure. We show many problems with implicit densities where DRE is naïvely used are actually ELDR estimation tasks, and prove fundamental limitations on finite-sample ELDR estimation. Based on these results, we argue that the typical DRE-based approaches are unsuitable for ELDR estimation, and provide some foundational motivation towards bespoke ELDR estimators. To demonstrate, we propose a simple modification to some DRE methods that allows samples convergent to the integral distribution to appear in training data. We show through benchmarks that this can improve ELDR estimation error.