Abstract: A relevance score for a predictor portion of a machine learning predictor is determined by performing a reverse propagation of an initial relevance score, which is attributed to a first predetermined predictor portion, along propagation paths of the machine learning predictor, and by filtering the reverse propagation with respect to a second predetermined predictor portion. Furthermore, respective affiliation scores for a set of data structures with respect to a predictor portion of a machine learning predictor are determined by performing reverse propagations of an initial relevance score from a first predetermined predictor portion to the predictor portion.

Abstract: The task of relevance score assignment to a set of items onto which an artificial neural network is applied is obtained by redistributing an initial relevance score derived from the network output, onto the set of items by reversely propagating the initial relevance score through the artificial neural network so as to obtain a relevance score for each item. In particular, this reverse propagation is applicable to a broader set of artificial neural networks and/or at lower computational efforts by performing same in a manner so that for each neuron, preliminarily redistributed relevance scores of a set of downstream neighbor neurons of the respective neuron are distributed on a set of upstream neighbor neurons of the respective neuron according to a distribution function.

Abstract: Pruning and/or quantizing a machine learning predictor or, in other words, a machine learning model such as a neural network is rendered more efficient if the pruning and/or quantizing is performed using relevance scores which are determined for portions of the machine learning predictor on the basis of an activation of the portions of the machine learning predictor manifesting itself in one or more inferences performed by the machine learning (ML) predictor.