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Replay to Remember (R2R): An Efficient Uncertainty-driven Unsupervised Continual Learning Framework Using Generative Replay (2505.04787v2)

Published 7 May 2025 in cs.CV, cs.AI, and cs.LG

Abstract: Continual Learning entails progressively acquiring knowledge from new data while retaining previously acquired knowledge, thereby mitigating Catastrophic Forgetting'' in neural networks. Our work presents a novel uncertainty-driven Unsupervised Continual Learning framework using Generative Replay, namelyReplay to Remember (R2R)''. The proposed R2R architecture efficiently uses unlabelled and synthetic labelled data in a balanced proportion using a cluster-level uncertainty-driven feedback mechanism and a VLM-powered generative replay module. Unlike traditional memory-buffer methods that depend on pretrained models and pseudo-labels, our R2R framework operates without any prior training. It leverages visual features from unlabeled data and adapts continuously using clustering-based uncertainty estimation coupled with dynamic thresholding. Concurrently, a generative replay mechanism along with DeepSeek-R1 powered CLIP VLM produces labelled synthetic data representative of past experiences, resembling biological visual thinking that replays memory to remember and act in new, unseen tasks. Extensive experimental analyses are carried out in CIFAR-10, CIFAR-100, CINIC-10, SVHN and TinyImageNet datasets. Our proposed R2R approach improves knowledge retention, achieving a state-of-the-art performance of 98.13%, 73.06%, 93.41%, 95.18%, 59.74%, respectively, surpassing state-of-the-art performance by over 4.36%.

Summary

Replay to Remember (R2R): An Efficient Uncertainty-driven Unsupervised Continual Learning Framework Using Generative Replay

The paper introduces "Replay to Remember" (R2R), a novel framework designed for unsupervised continual learning. The R2R model innovatively mitigates the problem of "catastrophic forgetting," a prominent challenge in neural networks whereby retained knowledge from previous tasks is overwritten by new learning experiences. The proposed framework employs generative replay driven by uncertainty, effectively utilizing both unlabelled and synthetic data to demonstrate state-of-the-art performance across multiple datasets.

Framework Architecture and Methodology

R2R revolves around an unsupervised approach, negating the need for initial labelled data or pretrained models, which are commonly required in conventional methods. The architecture comprises several key modules: a frontier model, a self-guided uncertainty-driven feedback mechanism, a VLM-powered generative replay module, and a self-improvement phase.

  • Frontier Model: This stage uses a convolutional autoencoder (CAE) to cluster latent vectors derived from unlabelled data. The Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) facilitates efficient grouping according to learned features.
  • Self-Guided Uncertainty-driven Feedback Mechanism (SG-UDFM): This mechanism assesses clusters for uncertainty using a statistically oriented thresholding approach. It flags ambiguous clusters that require refinement, prioritizing them for generative replay to bolster data retention.
  • Generative Replay (GR) Module: Synthetic data mimicking past experiences is generated through a VLM-powered diffusion model, which resembles the biological process of visual thinking. DeepSeek-R1 paired with CLIP's vision-LLM further facilitates this generative process by mapping visual features to synthetic labels, enabling the system to replay memory to enhance learning on new tasks.
  • Self-Improvement Phase: The framework iteratively enhances learned features through fine-tuning. This adjustment occurs cluster-wise to address any residual representation deficiencies, enabling adaptation and strengthening of latent spaces over time.

Experimental Results

The framework's efficacy was rigorously tested on datasets including CIFAR-10, CIFAR-100, CINIC-10, SVHN, and TinyImageNet. The experimental results indicate a substantial improvement in classification accuracy, with R2R outperforming previous state-of-the-art methods by an average of 4.36%. Specifically, R2R achieved accuracies of 98.13% on CIFAR-10 and 95.18% on SVHN, demonstrating significant improvement over baseline models and showcasing reduced catastrophic forgetting through effective generative replay.

Implications and Future Work

The implications of this research span both practical and theoretical dimensions. Practically, R2R enables robust continual learning without reliance on labelled data or large-scale pretrained models. This adaptability presents potential for deployment in autonomous systems and dynamic environments, where unsupervised learning needs to be promptly responsive to evolving tasks. Theoretically, its emphasis on uncertainty-driven processes opens new avenues in the paper of machine learning frameworks that mimic neurological memory retention and reinforcement.

Looking ahead, the continued evolution of R2R may involve integrating open-set recognition capabilities and contrastive learning to further bolster feature discrimination, especially in scenarios involving novel or unknown classes. These developments could play a vital role in advancing AI towards more human-like adaptability and cognitive capabilities in complex, real-world applications.

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