EUROPT 2025
Abstract Submission

190. Primal-Dual Coordinate Descent for Nonconvex-Nonconcave Saddle Point Problems Under the Weak MVI Assumption

Invited abstract in session WC-6: Structured nonsmooth optimization -- Part III, stream Nonsmooth and nonconvex optimization.

Wednesday, 14:00-16:00
Room: B100/7013

Authors (first author is the speaker)

1. Iyad WALWIL
Image, Données, Signal (IDS), Télécom Paris
2. Olivier Fercoq
Telecom Paris University

Abstract

We introduce two novel primal-dual algorithms for tackling non-convex, non-concave, and non-smooth saddle point problems characterized by the weak Minty variational inequality (MVI). The first algorithm generalizes the well-known Primal-Dual Hybrid Gradient (PDHG) method to address this challenging problem class. The second algorithm introduces a randomly extrapolated primal-dual coordinate descent approach, extending the Stochastic Primal-Dual Hybrid Gradient (SPDHG) algorithm. Designing a coordinated algorithm to solve non-convex, non-concave saddle point problems is unprecedented, and proving its convergence posed significant difficulties. This challenge motivated us to utilize PEPit, a Python-based tool for computer-assisted worst-case analysis of first-order optimization methods. By integrating PEPit with automated Lyapunov function techniques, we successfully derived our second novel algorithm. Both methods are effective under a mild condition on the weak-MVI parameter, achieving convergence with constant step sizes that adapt to the problem’s structure. Numerical experiments on sigmoid and perceptron-regression problems validate our theoretical findings.

Keywords

Status: accepted


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