Abstract: A method includes determining a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of a matrix. A count of rows of the plurality of rows is determined based on an architecture of a neural network, and a count of columns of the plurality of columns is determined based on a grammar. The method also includes assigning a value to each row/column pair. The value assigned to a particular row/column pair indicates a hyperparameter descriptive of the neural network. The method further includes storing the matrix as a representation of the neural network.

Abstract: A method of generating a neural network includes iteratively performing operations including generating, for each neural network of a population, a matrix representation. The matrix representation of a particular neural network includes rows of values, where each row corresponds to a set of layers of the particular neural network and each value specifies a hyperparameter of the set of layers. The operations also include providing the matrix representations as input to a relative fitness estimator that is trained to generate estimated fitness data for neural networks of the population. The estimated fitness data are based on expected fitness of neural networks predicted by the relative fitness estimator. The operations further include generating, based on the estimated fitness data, a subsequent population of neural networks. The method also includes, when a termination condition is satisfied, outputting data identifying a neural network as a candidate neural network.

Abstract: A method of generating a neural network includes iteratively performing operations including generating, for each neural network of a population, a matrix representation. The matrix representation of a particular neural network includes rows of values, where each row corresponds to a set of layers of the particular neural network and each value specifies a hyperparameter of the set of layers. The operations also include providing the matrix representations as input to a relative fitness estimator that is trained to generate estimated fitness data for neural networks of the population. The estimated fitness data are based on expected fitness of neural networks predicted by the relative fitness estimator. The operations further include generating, based on the estimated fitness data, a subsequent population of neural networks. The method also includes, when a termination condition is satisfied, outputting data identifying a neural network as a candidate neural network.