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NEO - 2025

2025​‌Activity reportProject-TeamNEO​​

RNSR: 201722224M

Creation of the Project-Team:​​​‌ 2017 December 01

Each​ year, Inria research teams​‌ publish an Activity Report​​ presenting their work and​​​‌ results over the reporting​ period. These reports follow​‌ a common structure, with​​ some optional sections depending​​​‌ on the specific team.​ They typically begin by​‌ outlining the overall objectives​​ and research programme, including​​​‌ the main research themes,​ goals, and methodological approaches.​‌ They also describe the​​ application domains targeted by​​​‌ the team, highlighting the​ scientific or societal contexts​‌ in which their work​​ is situated.

The reports​​​‌ then present the highlights​ of the year, covering​‌ major scientific achievements, software​​ developments, or teaching contributions.​​​‌ When relevant, they include​ sections on software, platforms,​‌ and open data, detailing​​ the tools developed and​​​‌ how they are shared.​ A substantial part is​‌ dedicated to new results,​​ where scientific contributions are​​​‌ described in detail, often​ with subsections specifying participants​‌ and associated keywords.

Finally,​​ the Activity Report addresses​​​‌ funding, contracts, partnerships, and​ collaborations at various levels,​‌ from industrial agreements to​​ international cooperations. It also​​​‌ covers dissemination and teaching​ activities, such as participation​‌ in scientific events, outreach,​​ and supervision. The document​​​‌ concludes with a presentation​ of scientific production, including​‌ major publications and those​​ produced during the year.​​​‌

Keywords

Computer Science and​ Digital Science

  • A1.1.11. Quantum​‌ architectures
  • A1.2.4. QoS, performance​​ evaluation
  • A1.2.6. Sensor networks​​​‌
  • A1.2.9. Social Networks
  • A1.2.11.​ Quantum communications
  • A1.3. Distributed​‌ Systems
  • A1.3.1. Web
  • A1.3.4.​​ Peer to peer
  • A1.3.5.​​​‌ Cloud
  • A1.3.6. Fog, Edge​
  • A1.5. Complex systems
  • A1.5.1.​‌ Systems of systems
  • A1.5.2.​​ Communicating systems
  • A3.1.2. Data​​​‌ management, quering and storage​
  • A3.3.3. Big data analysis​‌
  • A3.4. Machine learning and​​ statistics
  • A3.5. Social networks​​​‌
  • A3.5.2. Recommendation systems
  • A4.1.​ Threat analysis
  • A4.8. Privacy-enhancing​‌ technologies
  • A5.9. Signal processing​​
  • A5.9.2. Estimation, modeling
  • A5.9.4.​​​‌ Signal processing over graphs​
  • A5.9.6. Optimization tools
  • A6.1.1.​‌ Continuous Modeling (PDE, ODE)​​
  • A6.1.2. Stochastic Modeling
  • A6.2.2.​​​‌ Numerical probability
  • A6.2.3. Probabilistic​ methods
  • A6.2.4. Statistical methods​‌
  • A6.2.6. Optimization
  • A6.2.7. HPC​​ for machine learning
  • A6.4.1.​​​‌ Deterministic control
  • A6.4.2. Stochastic​ control
  • A6.4.6. Optimal control​‌
  • A7.1. Algorithms
  • A7.1.1. Distributed​​ algorithms
  • A7.1.2. Parallel algorithms​​​‌
  • A7.1.4. Quantum algorithms
  • A8.1.​ Discrete mathematics, combinatorics
  • A8.2.1.​‌ Operations research
  • A8.6. Information​​ theory
  • A8.8. Network science​​​‌
  • A8.9. Performance evaluation
  • A8.11.​ Game Theory
  • A9.2. Machine​‌ learning
  • A9.2.1. Supervised learning​​
  • A9.2.2. Unsupervised learning
  • A9.2.3.​​​‌ Reinforcement learning
  • A9.2.4. Optimization​ and learning
  • A9.2.5. Bayesian​‌ methods
  • A9.6. Decision support​​
  • A9.7. AI algorithmics
  • A9.9.​​​‌ Distributed AI, Multi-agent
  • A9.11.​ Generative AI

Other Research​‌ Topics and Application Domains​​

  • B2.3. Epidemiology
  • B2.5.1. Sensorimotor​​​‌ disabilities
  • B3.1. Sustainable development​
  • B3.1.1. Resource management
  • B4.​‌ Energy
  • B4.3.4. Solar Energy​​
  • B4.4. Energy delivery
  • B4.4.1.​​​‌ Smart grids
  • B4.5.1. Green​ computing
  • B6. IT and​‌ telecom
  • B6.2. Network technologies​​
  • B6.2.1. Wired networks
  • B6.2.2.​​​‌ wireless networks
  • B6.3.3. Network​ Management
  • B6.3.4. Social Networks​‌
  • B6.4. Internet of things​​
  • B6.6. Embedded systems
  • B8.1.​​​‌ Smart building/home
  • B9.2.1. Music,​ sound
  • B9.5.1. Computer science​‌
  • B9.5.2. Mathematics
  • B9.6.3. Economy,​​ Finance
  • B9.6.4. Management science​​
  • B9.6.5. Sociology

1 Team​​​‌ members, visitors, external collaborators‌

Research Scientists

  • Alain Jean-Marie‌​‌ [Team leader,​​ INRIA, Senior Researcher​​​‌, until Mar 2025‌]
  • Giovanni Neglia [‌​‌Team leader, INRIA​​, Senior Researcher,​​​‌ from Apr 2025,‌ HDR]
  • Sara Alouf‌​‌ [INRIA, Researcher​​, HDR]
  • Eitan​​​‌ Altman [INRIA,‌ Senior Researcher, HDR‌​‌]
  • Konstantin Avrachenkov [​​INRIA, Senior Researcher​​​‌, HDR]
  • Alain‌ Jean-Marie [INRIA,‌​‌ Senior Researcher, from​​ Apr 2025]
  • Samir​​​‌ Medina Perlaza [INRIA‌, Researcher]
  • Philippe‌​‌ Nain [INRIA,​​ Emeritus, HDR]​​​‌
  • Giovanni Neglia [INRIA‌, Senior Researcher,‌​‌ until Mar 2025,​​ HDR]

Faculty Member​​​‌

  • Michela Chessa [UNIV‌ COTE D'AZUR, Associate‌​‌ Professor Delegation, from​​ Sep 2025]

Post-Doctoral​​​‌ Fellows

  • Khushboo Agarwal [‌INRIA, Post-Doctoral Fellow‌​‌, until Oct 2025​​]
  • Guodong Sun [​​​‌INRIA, Post-Doctoral Fellow‌, from Apr 2025‌​‌]
  • Ying Zheng [​​INRIA, Post-Doctoral Fellow​​​‌, from Dec 2025‌]

PhD Students

  • Yaiza‌​‌ Bermudez [INRIA]​​
  • Gaspard Gerard Philippe Berthelier​​​‌ [EDF R D‌, from Feb 2025‌​‌]
  • José Francisco Daunas​​ Torres [Univ Sheffield​​​‌, until Sep 2025‌]
  • Ibtihal El Mimouni‌​‌ [NSP-SmartProfile, CIFRE​​]
  • Louis Hauseux [​​​‌UNIV COTE D'AZUR]‌
  • Ahmad Nasser [NOKIA‌​‌]
  • Isidoor Pinillo Esquivel​​ [INRIA, from​​​‌ Sep 2025]
  • Julian‌ Alfonso Santos Bustos [‌​‌ORANGE, CIFRE]​​
  • Adrien Sardi [NOKIA​​​‌]
  • Kyrylo Tymchenko [‌UNIV COTE D'AZUR,‌​‌ from Oct 2025]​​
  • Jingye Wang [INRIA​​​‌, from Sep 2025‌]
  • Xufeng Zhang [‌​‌INRIA]
  • Xinying Zou​​ [INRIA]

Interns​​​‌ and Apprentices

  • Antonio Honsell‌ [INRIA, Intern‌​‌, from Jun 2025​​ until Aug 2025]​​​‌
  • Maxime Nicaise [INRIA‌, Intern, from‌​‌ Sep 2025]
  • Pietro​​ Tellarini [UNIV BOLOGNE​​​‌, Intern, from‌ Mar 2025 until Aug‌​‌ 2025]
  • Zeev Weizmann​​ [UNIV COTE D'AZUR​​​‌, Intern, from‌ May 2025 until Aug‌​‌ 2025]

Administrative Assistant​​

  • Jane Desplanques [INRIA​​​‌]

Visiting Scientist

  • Daniel‌ Richards Ravi Arputharaj [‌​‌Freelance, until Feb​​ 2025]

External Collaborator​​​‌

  • Patrick Brown [Freelance‌]

2 Overall objectives‌​‌

Neo is an Inria​​ project-team whose members are​​​‌ located in Sophia Antipolis‌ (S. Alouf, K. Avrachenkov,‌​‌ G. Neglia, and S.​​ M. Perlaza), in Avignon​​​‌ (E. Altman) and in‌ Montpellier (A. Jean-Marie). E.‌​‌ Altman is also with​​ the LINCS (Lab. for​​​‌ Information, Networking and Communication‌ Sciences) in Paris. S.‌​‌ M. Perlaza is also​​ with the ECE department​​​‌ at Princeton Univ., N.J.‌ USA; and the Mathematics‌​‌ Department of the Univ.​​ de la Polynésie française​​​‌ (Laboratoire GAATI), Faaa, Tahiti.‌

The team is positioned‌​‌ at the intersection of​​ Operations Research and Network​​​‌ Science. By using the‌ tools of Stochastic Operations‌​‌ Research, we model situations​​ arising in several application​​​‌ domains, involving networking in‌ one way or the‌​‌ other. The aim is​​​‌ to understand the rules​ and the effects in​‌ order to influence and​​ control them so as​​​‌ to engineer the creation​ and the evolution of​‌ complex networks.

3 Research​​ program

The problems studied​​​‌ in Neo involve generally​ optimization, dynamic systems or​‌ randomness, and often all​​ at the same time.​​​‌ The techniques we use​ to tackle these problems​‌ are those of Stochastic​​ Operations Research, Applied Probabilities​​​‌ and Information Theory.

Stochastic​ Operations Research is a​‌ collection of modeling, optimization​​ and numerical computation techniques,​​​‌ aimed at assessing the​ behavior of man-made systems​‌ driven by random phenomena,​​ and at helping to​​​‌ make decisions in such​ a context.

The discipline​‌ is based on applied​​ probability and focuses on​​​‌ effective computations and algorithms.​ Its core theory is​‌ that of Markov chains​​ over discrete state spaces.​​​‌ This family of stochastic​ processes has, at the​‌ same time, a very​​ large modeling capability and​​​‌ the potential of efficient​ solutions. By “solution” is​‌ meant the calculation of​​ some performance metric,​​​‌ usually the distribution of​ some random variable of​‌ interest, or its average,​​ variance, etc. This solution​​​‌ is obtained either through​ exact “analytic” formulas, or​‌ numerically through linear algebra​​ methods. Even when not​​​‌ analytically or numerically tractable,​ Markovian models are always​‌ amenable to “Monte-Carlo” simulations​​ with which the metrics​​​‌ can be statistically measured.​

An example of this​‌ is the success of​​ classical Queueing Theory, with​​​‌ its numerous analytical formulas.​ Another important derived theory​‌ is that of the​​ Markov Decision Processes, which​​​‌ allows to formalize optimal​ decision problems in a​‌ random environment. This theory​​ allows to characterize the​​​‌ optimal decisions, and provides​ algorithms for calculating them.​‌

Strong trends of Operations​​ Research are: a) an​​​‌ increasing importance of multi-criteria​ multi-agent optimization, and the​‌ correlated introduction of Game​​ Theory in the standard​​​‌ methodology; b) an increasing​ concern of (deterministic) Operations​‌ Research with randomness and​​ risk, and the consequent​​​‌ introduction of topics like​ Chance Constrained Programming and​‌ Stochastic Optimization. Data analysis​​ is also more and​​​‌ more present in Operations​ Research: techniques from statistics,​‌ like filtering and estimation,​​ or Artificial Intelligence like​​​‌ clustering, are coupled with​ modeling in Machine Learning​‌ techniques like Q-Learning.

4​​ Application domains

4.1 Network​​​‌ Science

Network Science is​ a multidisciplinary body of​‌ knowledge, principally concerned with​​ the emergence of global​​​‌ properties in a network​ of individual agents. These​‌ global properties emerge from​​ “local” properties of the​​​‌ network, namely, the way​ agents interact with each​‌ other. The central model​​ of “networks” is the​​​‌ graph (of Graph Theory/Operations​ Research). Nodes represent the​‌ different entities managing information​​ and taking decisions, whereas,​​​‌ links represent the fact​ that entities interact, or​‌ not. Links are usually​​ equipped with a “weight”​​​‌ that measures the intensity​ of such interaction. Adding​‌ evolution rules to this​​ quite elementary representation leads​​​‌ to dynamic network models,​ the properties of which​‌ Network Science tries to​​ analyze.

A classical example​​​‌ of properties sought in​ networks is the famous​‌ “six degrees of separation”​​ (or “small world”) property:​​ how and why does​​​‌ it happen so frequently?‌ Another ubiquitous property of‌​‌ real-life networks is the​​ Zipf or “scale-free” degree​​​‌ distribution. Some of these‌ properties, when properly exploited,‌​‌ lead to successful business​​ opportunities: just consider the​​​‌ PageRank algorithm of Google,‌ which miraculously connects the‌​‌ relevance of some Web​​ information with the relevance​​​‌ of the other information‌ that points to it.‌​‌

4.2 Network Engineering

In​​ its primary acceptation, Network​​​‌ Science involves little or‌ no engineering: phenomena are‌​‌ assumed to be “natural”​​ and emerge without external​​​‌ interventions. However, the idea‌ comes fast to intervene‌​‌ in order to modify​​ the outcome of the​​​‌ phenomena. This is where‌ Neo is positioned. Beyond‌​‌ the mostly descriptive approach​​ of Network Science, we​​​‌ aim at using the‌ techniques of Operations Research‌​‌ so as to engineer​​ complex networks.

To quote​​​‌ two examples: controlling the‌ spread of diseases through‌​‌ a “network” of people​​ is of primarily interest​​​‌ for mankind. Similarly, controlling‌ the spread of information‌​‌ or reputation through a​​ social network is of​​​‌ great interest in the‌ Internet. Precisely, given the‌​‌ impact of web visibility​​ on business income, it​​​‌ is tempting (and quite‌ common) to manipulate the‌​‌ graph of the web​​ by adding links so​​​‌ as to drive the‌ PageRank algorithm to a‌​‌ desired outcome.

Another interesting​​ example is the engineering​​​‌ of community structures. Recently,‌ thousands of papers have‌​‌ been written on the​​ topic of community detection​​​‌ problem. In most of‌ the works, the researchers‌​‌ propose methods, most of​​ the time, heuristics, for​​​‌ detecting communities or dense‌ subgraphs inside a large‌​‌ network. Much less effort​​ has been put in​​​‌ the understanding of community‌ formation process and even‌​‌ much less effort has​​ been dedicated to the​​​‌ question of how one‌ can influence the process‌​‌ of community formation, e.g.​​ in order to increase​​​‌ overlap among communities and‌ reverse the fragmentation of‌​‌ the society.

Our ambition​​ is to reach an​​​‌ understanding of the behavior‌ of complex networks that‌​‌ will make us capable​​ of influencing or producing​​​‌ a certain property in‌ a given network. For‌​‌ this purpose, we will​​ develop families of models​​​‌ to capture the essential‌ structure, dynamics, and uncertainty‌​‌ of complex networks. The​​ “solution” of these models​​​‌ will provide the correspondence‌ between metrics of interest‌​‌ and model parameters, thus​​ opening the way to​​​‌ the synthesis of effective‌ control techniques.

In the‌​‌ process of tackling real,​​ very large size networks,​​​‌ we increasingly deal with‌ large graph data analysis‌​‌ and the development of​​ decision techniques with low​​​‌ algorithmic complexity, apt at‌ providing answers from large‌​‌ datasets in reasonable time.​​

5 Social and environmental​​​‌ responsibility

5.1 Impact of‌ research results

Some of‌​‌ Neo's research is​​ devoted to environmental issues,​​​‌ either related to water‌ management, or to the‌​‌ exploitation of renewable resources.​​ The involvement in the​​​‌ Chile-funded project MICCHI (Section‌ 10.1.3) aims at‌​‌ connecting these theoretical results​​ with actual drought problems.​​​‌

Several research actions direclty‌ aim at reducing carbon/energy‌​‌ footprint in the IT​​​‌ sector. Some of these​ actions are carried out​‌ within the FedMalin Inria​​ challenge (Section 10.4).​​​‌ In particular, in 42​, Neo researchers propose​‌ algorithms to reduce the​​ carbon footprint of cross-silo​​​‌ federated learning.

6 Highlights​ of the year

6.1​‌ Awards

  • Ibtihal El Mimouni​​ was awarded Best Poster​​​‌ Award at SophIA Summit​ 2025 for the poster​‌ "A bandit approach for​​ responsible email recommender systems."​​​‌
  • Louis Hauseux was finalist​ of the student competition​‌ Prix Pierre Laffitte 2025​​.
  • Giovanni Neglia was​​​‌ awarded a Chair on​ "Distributed Machine Learning over​‌ the Internet" by the​​ Interdisciplinary Institute for Artificial​​​‌ Intelligence 3IA Côte d'Azur,​ in the theme "Core​‌ Elements of AI."
  • Giovanni​​ Neglia was recognized as​​​‌ top reviewer for the​ Conference on Uncertainty in​‌ Artificial Intelligence (UAI), July​​ 21-25, 2025, Brazil

6.2​​​‌ Keynotes

Konstantin Avrachenkov was​ invited to give a​‌ plenary talk at the​​ 20th Workshop on Modelling​​​‌ and Mining Networks (WAW​ 2025).

6.3 Courtesy Appointments​‌

Samir Medina Perlaza was​​ re-appointed “Visiting Research Collaborator”​​​‌ in the Department of​ Electrical and Computer Engineering​‌ at Princeton University for​​ the academic year 2025–2026.​​​‌ He was also re-appointed​ "Associate Researcher" in the​‌ Laboratory of Algebraic Geometry​​ and Applications to Information​​​‌ Theory (GAATI) at the​ Université de la Polynésie​‌ Française for the academic​​ year 2025–2026.

7 Latest​​​‌ software developments, platforms, open​ data

7.1 Latest software​‌ developments

7.1.1 Marmote

  • Name:​​
    MARkovian MOdeling: The Environment​​​‌
  • Keyword:
    Markov model
  • Functional​ Description:

    Marmote is a​‌ library for modeling with​​ Markov chains. It is​​​‌ written in C++ with​ a Python interface. It​‌ consists in a reduced​​ set of high-level abstractions​​​‌ for constructing state spaces,​ transition structures and Markov​‌ chains (discrete-time and continuous-time).​​ It provides the ability​​​‌ of constructing hierarchies of​ Markov models, from the​‌ most general to the​​ particular, and equip each​​​‌ level with specifically optimized​ solution methods. The current​‌ release features the library​​ MarmoteMDP for modeling Markov​​​‌ Decision Processes and solving​ them.

    This software was​‌ started within the ANR​​ MARMOTE project: ANR-12-MONU-00019 under​​​‌ the name marmoteCore. Within​ the Marmote project, the​‌ code conforms the latest​​ C++ standards and the​​​‌ library is available on​ multiple platforms via a​‌ conda distribution.

  • Release Contributions:​​

    Version 1.3.1 was released​​​‌ at the end of​ 2025. Together with previous​‌ version 1.3.0, it brought​​ many improvements to the​​​‌ 'user experience'. To quote​ a few: generalized use​‌ of the logging facility,​​ generalized use of the​​​‌ 'policy' feature, including in​ numerical algorithms, improved formatting​‌ of large objects (sets,​​ matrices, ...). Technical improvements​​​‌ concern primarily the computation​ of hitting times in​‌ Markov chains, and the​​ related phase-type distributions. The​​​‌ RLGL algorithm for computing​ stationary distributions, which is​‌ an exclusivity of Marmote,​​ was enriched with an​​​‌ "adaptive relaxation" strategy.

    A​ complete set of examples​‌ is available on the​​ project's website, both for​​​‌ the C++ and the​ Python languages, and both​‌ for Marmote and MarmoteMDP,​​ the library for manipulating​​​‌ Markov Decision Processes. For​ Python, a notebook-based tutorial​‌ demonstrates the principal functionalities​​ of the library.

  • News​​ of the Year:
    The​​​‌ software was awarded an‌ Inria ADT (Action of‌​‌ Technological Development). Thanks to​​ the help of software​​​‌ engineers of Inria’s SED‌ (Service Experimentation Development), versions‌​‌ 1.3.0 and 1.3.1 were​​ developed during the year.​​​‌ See above for the‌ improvements brought by these‌​‌ versions.
  • URL:
  • Publications:​​
  • Contact:‌
    Alain Jean-Marie
  • Participants:
    Alain‌​‌ Jean-Marie, Patrick Brown, Emmanuel​​ Hyon
  • Partner:
    Université Paris​​​‌ Nanterre

8 New results‌

8.1 Stochastic Modeling

Participants:‌​‌ Sara Alouf, Eitan​​ Altman, Konstantin Avrachenkov​​​‌, Alain Jean-Marie,‌ Kyrylo Tymchenko.

Stochastic‌​‌ modeling is a core​​ methodological pillar of Neo​​​‌: it provides principled‌ abstractions to capture uncertainty,‌​‌ temporal variability, and randomness​​ in networked systems, and​​​‌ to derive both qualitative‌ insights and quantitative performance‌​‌ guarantees. Over the last​​ year, our work combined​​​‌ foundational advances and application-driven‌ modeling, spanning Markov processes‌​‌ and queueing systems, as​​ well as stochastic analyses​​​‌ of data-stream algorithms, time-series‌ models, and distributed storage‌​‌ mechanisms.

8.1.1 Markov Processes​​

Markov processes are a​​​‌ cornerstone of Neo’s‌ stochastic modeling work, providing‌​‌ a unifying framework for​​ analyzing complex random dynamics​​​‌ in networked systems. Over‌ the last year, we‌​‌ pursued complementary contributions spanning​​ (i) fundamental properties of​​​‌ continuous-time Markov processes, (ii)‌ decision-making under partial observability‌​‌ in Markovian environments, and​​ (iii) software support for​​​‌ Markov modeling and numerical‌ analysis through continued development‌​‌ of the Marmote library.​​

In 14, Konstantin​​​‌ Avrachenkov together with Flora‌ Spieksma (Leiden University, Netherlands)‌​‌ studies the deviation matrix​​ of denumerable state space,​​​‌ multi-chain Markov processes in‌ continuous time. The deviation‌​‌ matrix is a measure​​ of the cumulative deviation​​​‌ from the limiting probabilities‌ and it plays an‌​‌ important role in many​​ application domains. First, the​​​‌ authors provide several equivalent‌ necessary and sufficient conditions‌​‌ for the existence of​​ the deviation matrix. Next,​​​‌ they study a relation‌ between the deviation matrix‌​‌ and rank-one perturbations of​​ Markov processes. Based on​​​‌ a rank-one perturbation, they‌ derive a versatile formula‌​‌ for the deviation matrix​​ and apply this formula​​​‌ to Markov processes with‌ restart. Along the way,‌​‌ they establish several new​​ properties of rank-one perturbed​​​‌ Markov processes. They feel‌ that those properties can‌​‌ be useful in their​​ own right.

In 28​​​‌, Konstantin Avrachenkov ,‌ together with Madhu Dhiman‌​‌ and Kavitha Veerarun (IIT​​ Bombay, India), studies Markov​​​‌ Decision Processes (MDPs) with‌ intermittent state information, with‌​‌ periods of missing observations.​​ Linear programming (LP) methods​​​‌ can play a crucial‌ role in solving MDPs,‌​‌ in particular, with constraints.​​ However, the resultant belief​​​‌ MDPs lead to infinite‌ dimensional LPs, even when‌​‌ the original MDP is​​ with finite state and​​​‌ action spaces. The verification‌ of strong duality becomes‌​‌ non-trivial. This work investigates​​ the conditions for no​​​‌ duality gap in average-reward‌ finite Markov decision process‌​‌ with intermittent state observations.​​ The authors first establish​​​‌ that in such MDPs,‌ the belief MDP is‌​‌ unichain if the original​​ Markov chain is recurrent.​​​‌ Furthermore, they establish strong‌ duality of the problem,‌​‌ under the same assumption.​​​‌ Finally, the authors provide​ a wireless channel example,​‌ where the belief state​​ depends on the last​​​‌ channel state received and​ the age of the​‌ channel state. The numerical​​ results indicate interesting properties​​​‌ of the solution.

The​ development of the Marmote​‌ library has continued, led​​ by Alain Jean-Marie and​​​‌ Emmanuel Hyon of Université​ Paris-Nanterre. The software was​‌ awarded an Inria ADT​​ (Action of Technological Development),​​​‌ during which several software​ engineers of Inria's SED​‌ (Service Experimentation Development) helped​​ improve the robustness and​​​‌ portability of the library.​ This year's improvements have​‌ been primarily targeted at​​ a better `user experience'.​​​‌ Through an adequate configuration,​ Marmote programmers have access​‌ to a fine control​​ on the behavior of​​​‌ the program: its algorithms​ and its output. On​‌ the side of Markov​​ modeling and numerical analysis,​​​‌ the principal improvement is​ about the computation of​‌ hitting times and the​​ related phase-type distributions. Also,​​​‌ the RLGL algorithm, co-developed​ by Konstantin Avrachenkov and​‌ Patrick Brown , was​​ enriched with a "adaptive​​​‌ relaxation" strategy for vector​ updates. Version 1.3.1 of​‌ Marmote has been released​​ at the end of​​​‌ 2025.

8.1.2 Queueing Systems​

Queueing systems with multiple​‌ queues can be controlled​​ in different ways depending​​​‌ on who makes the​ decision. In one setting,​‌ each arriving customer chooses​​ which queue to join,​​​‌ leading to load-balancing policies​ that aim to reduce​‌ congestion and delay. In​​ another setting, a single​​​‌ server chooses which queue​ to serve (and when​‌ to switch), yielding polling-type​​ control problems where stability​​​‌ and delay trade-offs depend​ on the switching rule​‌ and its overhead. Over​​ the last year, we​​​‌ contributed to both perspectives.​

Join-the-shortest-queue and its variants​‌ have often been used​​ in solving load balancing​​​‌ problems. The aim of​ such policies is to​‌ minimize the average system​​ occupation, e.g., the customer's​​​‌ system time. In 36​, Eitan Altman ,​‌ together with Andrea Fox​​ and Francesco De Pellegrini​​​‌ (Avignon Université, France), Arnob​ Ghosh (New Jersey Institute​‌ of Technology, USA), and​​ Ness Shroff (The Ohio​​​‌ State University, USA), extends​ the load balancing setting​‌ to include constraints that​​ may be imposed, e.g.,​​​‌ due to the communication​ network. First, the authors​‌ cast the problem in​​ the framework of constrained​​​‌ MDPs: this permits them​ to address both action-dependent​‌ constraints, such as bandwidth​​ limitation, and state-dependent constraints,​​​‌ such as minimum queue​ utilization. Hence, unlike the​‌ state-of-the-art approaches in load​​ balancing, they derive new​​​‌ policies that satisfy the​ constraints while minimizing system​‌ occupancy. Extensive numerical simulations​​ evaluate the policies' performance​​​‌ under various system settings.​

In 27, Konstantin​‌ Avrachenkov , together with​​ Kousik Das, Kavitha Veeraruna​​​‌ (IIT Bombay, India) and​ Vartika Singh (University of​‌ Colorado, US), considers a​​ polling system with two​​​‌ queues, where a single​ server is attending the​‌ queues in a cyclic​​ order and requires non-zero​​​‌ switching times to switch​ between the queues. The​‌ aim is to identify​​ a fairly general and​​​‌ comprehensive class of Markovian​ switching policies that renders​‌ the system stable, potentially​​ a class of policies​​ that can cover the​​​‌ Pareto frontier related to‌ individual-queue-centric performance measures like‌​‌ the stationary expected number​​ of waiting customers in​​​‌ each queue. For instance,‌ such a class of‌​‌ policies has been identified​​ recently for a polling​​​‌ system near the fluid‌ regime (with large arrival‌​‌ and departure rates), and​​ the authors aim to​​​‌ include that class. They‌ also aim to include‌​‌ a second class that​​ facilitates switching between the​​​‌ queues at the instance‌ the occupancy in the‌​‌ opposite queue crosses a​​ threshold and when that​​​‌ in the visiting queue‌ is below a threshold‌​‌ (this inclusion facilitates design​​ of `robust' polling systems).​​​‌ Towards this, the authors‌ consider a class of‌​‌ two-phase switching policies, which​​ includes the above mentioned​​​‌ classes. In the maximum‌ generality, the policies can‌​‌ be represented by eight​​ parameters, while two parameters​​​‌ are sufficient to represent‌ the aforementioned classes. The‌​‌ authors provide simple conditions​​ to identify the sub-class​​​‌ of switching policies that‌ ensure system stability. By‌​‌ numerically tuning the parameters​​ of the proposed class,​​​‌ they illustrate that the‌ proposed class can cover‌​‌ the Pareto frontier for​​ the stationary expected number​​​‌ of customers in the‌ two queues.

8.1.3 Approximate‌​‌ Counting

Count-Min Sketch with​​ Conservative Updates (CMS-CU) is​​​‌ a memory-efficient hash-based algorithm‌ used to estimate the‌​‌ occurrences of items within​​ a data stream. CMS-CU​​​‌ employs d hash functions‌ and a total of‌​‌ m counters arranged in​​ d rows, with each​​​‌ hash function mapping an‌ item to one counter‌​‌ per row. In 29​​, Younes Ben Mazziane​​​‌ (Avignon Université, France) and‌ Othmane Marfoq (Meta, USA)‌​‌1 study a similar​​ algorithm, which they refer​​​‌ to as CU-S, where‌ d hash functions map‌​‌ each item to d​​ distinct counters in a​​​‌ single array of size‌ m. Specifically, they‌​‌ present an analytical method​​ to quantify the trade-off​​​‌ between memory usage and‌ the Counting Error (CE)‌​‌ of an item in​​ CU-S, defined as the​​​‌ discrepancy between the estimated‌ and actual number of‌​‌ its occurrences. The first​​ result of this paper​​​‌ shows that items absent‌ from the stream experience‌​‌ the highest CE. They​​ refer to their error​​​‌ as the Unseen items‌ Error (UE). The second‌​‌ result is an upper​​ bound on UE of​​​‌ any stream, expressed in‌ terms of the Reference‌​‌ Error (RE), which is​​ the UE of a​​​‌ reference stream where each‌ item appears at most‌​‌ once. They also identify​​ streams for which this​​​‌ bound is provably tight.‌ The direct computation of‌​‌ RE involves dealing with​​ an infinite state space​​​‌ Markov process similar to‌ the Balls and Bins‌​‌ model with the Power​​ of Choice, but more​​​‌ difficult to handle analytically.‌ Instead, they construct two‌​‌ finite state space Markov​​ processes, parametrized by a​​​‌ positive integer g,‌ that bound the original‌​‌ chain and yield efficiently​​ computable lower and upper​​​‌ bounds on RE. Increasing‌ g narrows the gap‌​‌ between these bounds and​​ enlarges the state space​​​‌ to m+g‌-dg,‌​‌ thus increasing the computation​​​‌ time. For d=​m-1,​‌ g=1,​​ and as m→​​​‌, they prove​ that the lower and​‌ upper bounds coincide. Their​​ bounds are accurate for​​​‌ small values of g​ and for more general​‌ values of m and​​ d, as shown​​​‌ by numerical computation. Finally,​ simulations on various streams​‌ confirm that bounding RE​​ in this manner enables​​​‌ efficient and accurate computation​ of UE.

8.1.4 Characterization​‌ of Integrated Autoregressive Time​​ Series

Integrated autoregressive time​​​‌ series are widely used​ to model non-stationary dynamics​‌ in economics, finance, and​​ other applications, where observed​​​‌ variables exhibit persistent trends​ and become approximately stationary​‌ only after differencing. In​​ 21, Konstantin Avrachenkov​​​‌ , together with with​ Phil Howlett (University of​‌ South Australia, Australia), Brendan​​ Beare (University of Sydney,​​​‌ Australia), Massimo Franchi (Sapienza​ Universita di Roma, Italy),​‌ and John Boland (University​​ of South Australia, Australia),​​​‌ proves an extended Granger-Johansen​ Representation Theorem (GJRT) for​‌ finite—or infinite—order integrated autoregressive​​ time series on Banach​​​‌ space. The authors assume​ only that the resolvent​‌ of the autoregressive polynomial​​ for the series is​​​‌ analytic on and inside​ the unit circle except​‌ for an isolated singularity​​ at unity. If the​​​‌ singularity is a pole​ of finite order, the​‌ time series is integrated​​ of the same order.​​​‌ If the singularity is​ an essential singularity, the​‌ time series is integrated​​ of order infinity. When​​​‌ there is no deterministic​ forcing, the value of​‌ the series at each​​ time is the sum​​​‌ of an almost surely​ convergent stochastic trend, a​‌ deterministic term depending on​​ the initial conditions and​​​‌ a finite sum of​ embedded white noise terms​‌ in the prior observations.​​ This is the extended​​​‌ GJRT. In each case​ the original series is​‌ the sum of two​​ separate autoregressive time series​​​‌ on complementary subspaces—a singular​ component which is integrated​‌ of the same order​​ as the original series​​​‌ and a regular component​ which is not integrated.​‌ The extended GJRT applies​​ to all integrated autoregressive​​​‌ processes irrespective of the​ spatial dimension, the number​‌ of stochastic trends and​​ cointegrating relations in the​​​‌ system and the order​ of integration.

8.1.5 Coding​‌ Schemes for Distributed Storage​​

Distributed storage over heterogeneous​​​‌ networks offers a cost-effective​ alternative to cloud storage.​‌ Most existing systems rely​​ on erasure coding to​​​‌ ensure data durability despite​ significant peer unreliability. However,​‌ these solutions face the​​ fundamental trade-off between data​​​‌ safety and storage overhead,​ both of which are​‌ of great importance to​​ users. In addition, resource​​​‌ consumption, particularly CPU and​ bandwidth usage, remains a​‌ major concern. In an​​ ongoing research, Sara Alouf​​​‌ and Kyrylo Tymchenko ,​ together with Frederic Giroire​‌ and Stephane Perennes (​​Coati Inria team), investigate​​​‌ novel coding schemes which​ combine reliability and fast​‌ coding operations. They use​​ Markovian modeling to evaluate​​​‌ the performance of the​ coding schemes designed and​‌ compare them with classical​​ erasure coding and locally​​​‌ repairable codes. This work​ has been submitted for​‌ publication and is under​​ review.

8.2 Theory of​​ Learning

Participants: Konstantin Avrachenkov​​​‌, Yaiza Bermudez,‌ Louis Hauseux, Alain‌​‌ Jean-Marie, José Francisco​​ Daunas Torres, Ibtihal​​​‌ El Mimouni, Samir‌ Medina Perlaza, Giovanni‌​‌ Neglia, Xinying Zou​​.

8.2.1 Information-theoretic Foundations​​​‌ for Statistical Learning

Over‌ the last year, we‌​‌ developed measure-theoretic and information-theoretic​​ tools that clarify how​​​‌ learning objectives and regularization‌ relate to probability measures.‌​‌

In 52, 47​​, Yaiza Bermudez and​​​‌ Samir Medina Perlaza ,‌ together with Gaetan Bisson‌​‌ (Université de la Polynésie​​ française, France) and Iñaki​​​‌ Esnaola (University of Sheffield,‌ United Kingdom), present rigorous‌​‌ statements and formal proofs​​ for both foundational and​​​‌ advanced folklore theorems on‌ the Radon-Nikodym derivative. The‌​‌ cases of conditional and​​ marginal probability measures are​​​‌ carefully considered, which leads‌ to an identity involving‌​‌ the sum of mutual​​ and lautum information suggesting​​​‌ a new interpretation for‌ such a sum.

In‌​‌ 23, 56,​​ Samir Medina Perlaza ,​​​‌ together with Gaetan Bisson‌ (Université de la Polynésie‌​‌ française, France), presents closed-form​​ expressions for the variation​​​‌ of the expectation of‌ a given function due‌​‌ to changes in the​​ probability measure (probability distribution​​​‌ drifts). These expressions unveil‌ interesting connections with Gibbs‌​‌ probability measures, information projections,​​ Pythagorean identities for relative​​​‌ entropy, mutual information, and‌ lautum information.

In 54‌​‌, 31, José​​ Francisco Daunas Torres and​​​‌ Samir Medina Perlaza ,‌ together with Iñaki Esnaola‌​‌ (University of Sheffield, United​​ Kingdom), introduce the dual​​​‌ formulation of empirical risk‌ minimization (ERM) with f-divergence‌​‌ regularization (ERM-fDR). The authors​​ connect the solution of​​​‌ the dual optimization problem‌ to the ERM-f DR‌​‌ to the notion of​​ normalization function introduced as​​​‌ an implicit function. This‌ dual approach leverages the‌​‌ Legendre-Fenchel transform and the​​ implicit function theorem to​​​‌ provide a nonlinear ODE‌ expression to the normalization‌​‌ function. Furthermore, the nonlinear​​ ODE expression and its​​​‌ properties provide a computationally‌ efficient method to calculate‌​‌ the normalization function of​​ the ERM-fDR solution under​​​‌ a mild condition.

In‌ 18, José Francisco‌​‌ Daunas Torres and Samir​​ Medina Perlaza , together​​​‌ with Iñaki Esnaola (University‌ of Sheffield, United Kingdom)‌​‌ and H. Vincent Poor​​ (Princeton University, USA), analyze​​​‌ the effect of relative‌ entropy asymmetry in the‌​‌ context of empirical risk​​ minimization with relative entropy​​​‌ regularization (ERM-RER). The authors‌ consider two regularizations: (a)‌​‌ the relative entropy of​​ the measure to be​​​‌ optimized with respect to‌ a reference measure (Type-I‌​‌ ERM-RER); and (b) the​​ relative entropy of the​​​‌ reference measure with respect‌ to the measure to‌​‌ be optimized (Type-II ERM-RER).​​ The main result is​​​‌ the characterization of the‌ solution to the Type-II‌​‌ ERM-RER problem and its​​ key properties. By comparing​​​‌ the well-understood Type-I ERM-RER‌ with Type-II ERM-RER, the‌​‌ effects of entropy asymmetry​​ are highlighted. The analysis​​​‌ shows that in both‌ cases, regularization by relative‌​‌ entropy forces the support​​ of the solution to​​​‌ collapse into the support‌ of the reference measure,‌​‌ introducing a strong inductive​​ bias that negates the​​​‌ evidence provided by the‌ training data. The authors‌​‌ show finally that Type-II​​​‌ regularization is equivalent to​ Type-I regularization with an​‌ appropriate transformation of the​​ empirical risk function.

In​​​‌ 58, Xinying Zou​ and Samir Medina Perlaza​‌ , together with Iñaki​​ Esnaola (University of Sheffield,​​​‌ United Kingdom), address the​ challenge of learning models​‌ that stay reliable under​​ distribution shifts when only​​​‌ finite training data is​ available. The authors propose​‌ a novel training-dependent minimax​​ problem to design learning​​​‌ algorithms that are robust​ to the worst-case datagenerating​‌ distribution. For the ambiguity​​ sets, they construct Kullback-Leibler​​​‌ (KL) divergence neighborhoods on​ both model and data​‌ distributions. They obtain an​​ analytical solution to this​​​‌ minimax problem, referred to​ as the robust learner.​‌ They show that the​​ robust learner follows a​​​‌ Gibbs distribution, in which​ the prior can be​‌ chosen as any baseline​​ learning algorithm to be​​​‌ robustified. Such a robust​ learner minimizes the worst-case​‌ generalization gap within a​​ KL-divergence neighborhood of unseen​​​‌ new data and it​ provides a smaller generalization​‌ error compared with the​​ baseline learning algorithm Q.​​​‌ Under certain conditions, the​ robust learner also guarantees​‌ a smaller expected testing​​ error than Q. They​​​‌ also provide a training-dependent​ PAC-Bayes bound on the​‌ robust learner's performance on​​ unseen data. Closed-form expressions​​​‌ for generalization error and​ expected loss of the​‌ robust learner are given​​ in terms of mutual​​​‌ information, lautum information, and​ KL-divergence. As a by-product,​‌ they show that the​​ proposed minimax problem admits​​​‌ a two-player zero-sum game​ formulation, for which a​‌ unique Nash equilibrium exists.​​ This enhances the understanding​​​‌ of learning algorithm robustification.​ Numerical experiments validate the​‌ applicability of the results​​ and the benefits of​​​‌ robustification.

8.2.2 Unlearning

Machine​ unlearning aims at removing​‌ the influence of specific​​ data points from a​​​‌ trained model, striving to​ achieve this at a​‌ fraction of the cost​​ of full model retraining.​​​‌ In 45, Giovanni​ Neglia , together with​‌ Martin van Waerebeke, Kevin​​ Scaman (Argo Inria​​​‌ team), and Marco Lorenzi​ (Epione Inria team),​‌ analyzes the efficiency of​​ unlearning methods. The authors​​​‌ establish the first upper​ and lower bounds on​‌ minimax computation times for​​ this problem, characterizing the​​​‌ performance of the most​ efficient algorithm against the​‌ most difficult objective function.​​ Specifically, for strongly convex​​​‌ objective functions and under​ the assumption that the​‌ forget data is inaccessible​​ to the unlearning method,​​​‌ they provide a phase​ diagram for the unlearning​‌ complexity ratio—a novel metric​​ that compares the computational​​​‌ cost of the best​ unlearning method to full​‌ model retraining. The phase​​ diagram reveals three distinct​​​‌ regimes: one where unlearning​ at a reduced cost​‌ is infeasible, another where​​ unlearning is trivial because​​​‌ adding noise suffices, and​ a third where unlearning​‌ achieves significant computational advantages​​ over retraining. These findings​​​‌ highlight the critical role​ of factors such as​‌ data dimensionality, the number​​ of samples to forget,​​​‌ and privacy constraints in​ determining the practical feasibility​‌ of unlearning.

8.2.3 Learning​​ Strategies for Email Marketing​​​‌

Email marketing is increasingly​ criticized due to ethical​‌ concerns, as bulk email​​ campaigns often result in​​ spam, reduced engagement, and​​​‌ negative user experiences. In‌ addition, there is increasing‌​‌ awareness of the environmental​​ impact, as these large-scale​​​‌ campaigns contribute to carbon‌ emissions. To address these‌​‌ issues, in 35,​​ Ibtihal El Mimouni and​​​‌ Konstantin Avrachenkov introduce QWIC-Fair‌ (Q-learning Whittle Index with‌​‌ Context and Fairness), an​​ algorithm that operates within​​​‌ a Contextual Restless Multi-Armed‌ Bandit framework. QWIC-Fair leverages‌​‌ implicit feedback to learn​​ the dynamics of user​​​‌ interactions and thus target‌ users with relevant content.‌​‌ In this model, each​​ user represents an arm​​​‌ of the bandit, evolving‌ as a Markov Decision‌​‌ Process that captures state​​ transitions reflecting their interactions​​​‌ with email contents, while‌ accounting for contextual information.‌​‌ The algorithm also incorporates​​ a fairness constraint to​​​‌ ensure balanced selection and‌ to avoid repetitive targeting‌​‌ of the same users.​​ The experiments conducted, using​​​‌ synthetic and real-world data,‌ show that QWIC-Fair outperforms‌​‌ existing email marketing approaches.​​

In 34, Ibtihal​​​‌ El Mimouni and Konstantin‌ Avrachenkov introduce DQWIC, a‌​‌ novel algorithm that combines​​ Deep Reinforcement Learning and​​​‌ Whittle index theory within‌ the Contextual Restless Multi-Armed‌​‌ Bandit framework for the​​ discounted criterion. The authors​​​‌ design DQWIC to learn‌ in evolving environments typical‌​‌ of real-world applications, such​​ as recommender systems, where​​​‌ user preferences and environmental‌ dynamics evolve over time.‌​‌ In particular, they apply​​ DQWIC to the problem​​​‌ of optimizing email recommendations,‌ where it tackles the‌​‌ dual challenges of enhancing​​ content relevance and reducing​​​‌ spam messages, thereby addressing‌ ethical concerns related to‌​‌ intrusive emailing. The algorithm​​ leverages two neural networks:​​​‌ a Q-network for approximating‌ action-value functions and a‌​‌ Whittle-network for estimating Whittle​​ indices, both of which​​​‌ integrate contextual features to‌ inform decision-making. In addition,‌​‌ the inclusion of context​​ allows them to handle​​​‌ many heterogeneous users in‌ a scalable way. The‌​‌ learning process occurs through​​ a two time scale​​​‌ stochastic approximation, with the‌ Q-network updated frequently to‌​‌ minimize the loss between​​ predicted and target Q-values,​​​‌ and the Whittle-network updated‌ on a slower time‌​‌ scale. To evaluate its​​ effectiveness, they conducted experiments​​​‌ in partnership with Smartprofile,‌ a company specializing in‌​‌ digital marketing. Their results,​​ derived from both synthetic​​​‌ and real-world data, show‌ that DQWIC outperforms existing‌​‌ email marketing baselines.

8.2.4​​ Graph Clustering

Graph clustering​​​‌ (aka community detection) is‌ one of the fundamental‌​‌ problems in data science​​ which consists of partitioning​​​‌ graph nodes into disjoint‌ communities. In 19,‌​‌ 40, Konstantin Avrachenkov​​ , together with Lucas​​​‌ Lopes Felipe and Daniel‌ Sadoc Menasché (UFRJ, Brazil),‌​‌ presents a game-theoretic perspective​​ on the Constant Potts​​​‌ Model (CPM) for partitioning‌ graphs into disjoint communities,‌​‌ emphasizing its efficiency, robustness,​​ and accuracy. Efficiency: CPM​​​‌ is reinterpreted as a‌ potential hedonic game by‌​‌ decomposing its global Hamiltonian​​ into local utility functions,​​​‌ where the local utility‌ gain of each agent‌​‌ matches the corresponding increase​​ in global utility. Leveraging​​​‌ this equivalence, the authors‌ prove that local optimization‌​‌ of the CPM objective​​ via better-response dynamics converges​​​‌ in pseudo-polynomial time to‌ an equilibrium partition. Robustness:‌​‌ The authors introduce and​​​‌ relate two stability criteria,​ namely a strict criterion​‌ based on a novel​​ notion of robustness—requiring nodes​​​‌ to simultaneously maximize neighbors​ and minimize non-neighbors within​‌ communities—and a relaxed utility​​ function based on a​​​‌ weighted sum of these​ objectives, controlled by a​‌ resolution parameter. Accuracy: In​​ community tracking scenarios, where​​​‌ initial partitions are used​ to bootstrap the Leiden​‌ algorithm with partial ground-truth​​ information, the experiments reveal​​​‌ that robust partitions yield​ higher accuracy in recovering​‌ ground-truth communities.

In 38​​, Konstantin Avrachenkov and​​​‌ Louis Hauseux , together​ with Nahuel Soprano-Loto (​‌Mathnet Inria team), study​​ Gibbs distributions with competing​​​‌ interactions and propose a​ higher-order extension of the​‌ Swendsen-Wang dynamics that incorporates​​ triangular bonds. The new​​​‌ dynamics preserves the same​ stationary distribution, alleviates frustration,​‌ and yields markedly better​​ sampling. When applied to​​​‌ a synthetic Euclidean-graph community-detection​ benchmark, the proposed algorithm​‌ outperforms existing methods.

8.2.5​​ Density-based Clustering

Many clustering​​​‌ algorithms are based on​ density estimates in ℝ​‌d. Building geometric​​ graphs on a dataset​​​‌ Xd​ is an elegant way​‌ to achieve this. In​​ fact, the connected components​​​‌ of a geometric graph​ match exactly with the​‌ high-density clusters of the​​ 1-Nearest Neighbor density estimator​​​‌ or Single-Linkage algorithm. In​ 20, Louis Hauseux​‌ and Konstantin Avrachenkov ,​​ together with Josiane Zerubia​​​‌ (Ayana Inria team),​ analyze and generalize the​‌ classical Single-Linkage clustering algorithm,​​ which performs hierarchical clustering​​​‌ by iteratively merging the​ two closest clusters. Single-Linkage​‌ and its robust version​​ are still widely used​​​‌ in modern clustering techniques​ like the state-of-the-art HDBSCAN.​‌ Single-Linkage can be understood​​ from three perspectives: (i)​​​‌ it conducts persistent analysis​ on geometric graphs; (ii)​‌ it identifies high-density clusters​​ using the 1-Nearest Neighbor​​​‌ density estimator; and (iii)​ it is implemented via​‌ the minimum spanning tree​​ of the data. The​​​‌ authors extend Single-Linkage to​ higher-order interactions by replacing​‌ geometric graphs with hypergraphs​​ and introducing a stricter​​​‌ notion of connected components,​ named K-polyhedra. Specifically,​‌ for K=2​​, their method employs​​​‌ “triangle connectivity”. They prove​ that K-polyhedra correspond​‌ to high-density clusters of​​ the K-Nearest Neighbors​​​‌ density estimator. In practice,​ this approach is implemented​‌ by identifying a minimum​​ K-tree. The authors​​​‌ also introduce original geometric​ optimizations for efficiently computing​‌ the 2-generalization of Single-Linkage​​ in low-dimensional Euclidean spaces.​​​‌ Experimental results demonstrate that​ even when K=​‌2 is used, the​​ proposed method already surpasses​​​‌ the state-of-the-art clustering methods​ on synthetic and real-world​‌ datasets.

8.2.6 Conjectural Learning​​

In the context of​​​‌ dynamic games in which​ players have limited information,​‌ Alain Jean-Marie , together​​ with Mabel Tidball (​​​‌INRAE, Montpellier, France)​ and Tania Jiménez (Avignon​‌ Université, France), introduces in​​ 60 the family of​​​‌ Conjectural Learning procedures. With​ Conjectural Learning, agents form​‌ conjectures about what the​​ opponent will play, as​​​‌ a function of their​ action or some state​‌ variable and may revise​​ these conjectures at each​​​‌ interaction. The authors prove​ general properties of Conjectural​‌ Learning procedures, comparing their​​ steady-states to the cooperative​​ solution of a corresponding​​​‌ static game with complete‌ information. They then specify‌​‌ simple functional forms of​​ conjectures and analyze the​​​‌ resulting dynamic systems, in‌ terms of steady states‌​‌ and their relation with​​ Pareto solutions of the​​​‌ complete information framework. They‌ illustrate the transient and‌​‌ stationary behavior of these​​ Conjectural Learning procedures in​​​‌ the Fish War model‌ of Levhari and Mirman.‌​‌

In a related forthcoming​​ publication, the same authors​​​‌ endow the otherwise selfish‌ and myopic agents with‌​‌ a certain degree of​​ forward-looking behavior, in the​​​‌ form of a subjective‌ valuation of future stocks,‌​‌ incorporated in their utility.​​ They analyze the interaction​​​‌ of three specific conjectural‌ learning procedures and this‌​‌ short-range forward-looking behavior, in​​ the case of a​​​‌ management problem of groundwater‌ resource with two symmetric‌​‌ players. The performance is​​ measured with both the​​​‌ asymptotic stock and the‌ total discounted gain. They‌​‌ conduct numerical experiments using​​ data from the La​​​‌ Mancha aquifer in Spain.‌ They conclude that learning‌​‌ processes can be Pareto​​ improving at each period.​​​‌ However, this result depends‌ on the valuation that‌​‌ agents place on future​​ stocks, the inertia of​​​‌ the learning process and‌ the initial value of‌​‌ conjectures, which must be​​ appropriately chosen. In particular,​​​‌ if the valuation of‌ the future stock is‌​‌ too small, the performance​​ of these schemes is​​​‌ worse than that of‌ the farsighted Nash solution,‌​‌ in terms of both​​ profits and resource levels.​​​‌

8.3 Distributed Learning

Participants:‌ Yaiza Bermudez, Samir‌​‌ Medina Perlaza, Giovanni​​ Neglia, Daniel Richards​​​‌ Ravi Arputharaj.

Federated‌ Learning (FL) is a‌​‌ distributed machine learning paradigm​​ in which multiple clients​​​‌ collaboratively train a shared‌ model while keeping their‌​‌ raw data local. FL​​ typically takes two forms:​​​‌ cross-device FL, involving a‌ very large number of‌​‌ intermittently available edge devices​​ (e.g., smartphones, IoT), and​​​‌ cross-silo FL, involving a‌ smaller number of reliable‌​‌ organizations (e.g., hospitals, banks)​​ with larger local datasets.​​​‌ Over the last year,‌ our research tackled key‌​‌ bottlenecks in federated learning​​ by (i) advancing theoretical​​​‌ understanding, with new guarantees‌ for FL under Markovian‌​‌ data streams and an​​ information-theoretic framework that yields​​​‌ closed-form characterizations of generalization‌ error in FL; (ii)‌​‌ developing scalable collaboration mechanisms,​​ including Bayesian one-shot FL​​​‌ that exploits multimodality in‌ local objectives and communication-efficient‌​‌ peer-graph cooperation to help​​ clients identify similar peers;​​​‌ (iii) improving learning under‌ realistic constraints, through carbon-aware‌​‌ client selection and scheduling​​ that leverages slack time​​​‌ and fairness to reduce‌ emissions while preserving accuracy‌​‌ under heterogeneity; and (iv)​​ strengthening the privacy-evaluation toolbox​​​‌ with new, highly effective‌ reconstruction and attribute-inference attacks,‌​‌ including the first model-based​​ attribute inference attack tailored​​​‌ to federated regression and‌ a geometric attack enabling‌​‌ perfect reconstruction of very​​ large batches without prior​​​‌ distributional knowledge.

8.3.1 Theoretical‌ Insights on Federated Learning‌​‌ Algorithms

A sound theoretical​​ understanding is essential to​​​‌ characterize when FL works,‌ how fast it converges,‌​‌ and how well it​​ generalizes under the statistical​​​‌ dependencies and heterogeneity that‌ arise in practice. Over‌​‌ the last year, we​​​‌ contributed to this agenda​ with complementary results on​‌ optimization under dependent client​​ data streams and on​​​‌ generalization error in FL​ through an information-theoretic lens.​‌

Most theoretical and empirical​​ FL studies rely on​​​‌ the assumption that clients​ have access to pre-collected​‌ data sets, with limited​​ investigation into scenarios where​​​‌ clients continuously collect data.​ In many real-world applications,​‌ particularly when data is​​ generated by physical or​​​‌ biological processes, client data​ streams are often modeled​‌ by non-stationary Markov processes.​​ Unlike standard i.i.d. sampling,​​​‌ the performance of FL​ with Markovian data streams​‌ remains poorly understood due​​ to the statistical dependencies​​​‌ between client samples over​ time. In 39,​‌ Giovanni Neglia , together​​ with Tan-Khiem Huynh, Malcolm​​​‌ Egan, and Jean-Marie Gorce​ (Maracas Inria team),​‌ investigates whether FL can​​ still support collaborative learning​​​‌ with Markovian data streams.​ Specifically, the authors analyze​‌ the performance of Minibatch​​ SGD (Stochastic Gradient Descent),​​​‌ Local SGD, and a​ variant of Local SGD​‌ with momentum. They answer​​ affirmatively under standard assumptions​​​‌ and smooth non-convex client​ objectives: the sample complexity​‌ is proportional to the​​ inverse of the number​​​‌ of clients, with a​ communication complexity comparable to​‌ the i.i.d. scenario. However,​​ the sample complexity for​​​‌ Markovian data streams remains​ higher than for i.i.d.​‌ sampling. Their analysis is​​ validated via experiments with​​​‌ real pollution monitoring time​ series data.

In 53​‌, Yaiza Bermudez and​​ Samir Medina Perlaza ,​​​‌ together with Iñaki Esnaola​ (University of Sheffield, United​‌ Kingdom) and H. Vincent​​ Poor (Princeton University, USA),​​​‌ characterize the generalization error​ of FL systems through​‌ a novel statistical framework.​​ Central to this framework​​​‌ is the concept of​ a meta-federated learning algorithm,​‌ defined as a probability​​ measure over a client's​​​‌ local models conditioned on​ the datasets of all​‌ participating clients. By means​​ of this abstraction, the​​​‌ authors state several fundamental​ properties of FL systems​‌ and derive closed-form expressions​​ for the generalization error.​​​‌ More specifically, they extend​ to FL the method​‌ of gaps, originally introduced​​ for non-federated settings, and​​​‌ obtain closed-form expressions for​ the generalization error in​‌ terms of classical information​​ measures, including relative entropy,​​​‌ mutual information, and lautum​ information. A central role​‌ in these new expressions​​ is played by specific​​​‌ Gibbs probability measures (Gibbs​ algorithms). More importantly, they​‌ reveal that the challenge​​ of evaluating the generalization​​​‌ error in FL is​ reduced to two distinct​‌ tasks: (a) measuring the​​ dependence of client model​​​‌ choices on the datasets​ of all clients; and​‌ (b) distinguishing the meta-federated​​ learning algorithm from a​​​‌ Gibbs algorithm trained solely​ on local data. Through​‌ these findings, they establish​​ new links between generalization​​​‌ in FL, mismatched hypothesis​ testing, Shannon's information measures,​‌ and Pythagorean identities for​​ the generalization error.

8.3.2​​​‌ Scalable Algorithms

Scalability is​ a central requirement for​‌ federated and distributed learning​​ systems: algorithms must remain​​​‌ effective when the number​ of clients grows, communication​‌ is constrained, and the​​ amount of data per​​​‌ client varies widely. Over​ the last year, we​‌ investigated scalability both by​​ reducing the number of​​ communication rounds in FL​​​‌ and by enabling large‌ numbers of clients to‌​‌ collaborate with limited per-client​​ resources.

One-Shot FL enables​​​‌ multiple clients to cooperatively‌ learn a global model‌​‌ in a single round​​ of communication with a​​​‌ central server. In 44‌, Giovanni Neglia ,‌​‌ together with Jacopo Talpini​​ and Marco Savi (University​​​‌ of Milano-Bicocca, Italy), analyzes‌ the One-Shot FL problem‌​‌ through the lens of​​ Bayesian inference. The authors​​​‌ propose FedBEns, an algorithm‌ that leverages the inherent‌​‌ multimodality of local loss​​ functions to find better​​​‌ global models. Their algorithm‌ leverages a mixture of‌​‌ Laplace approximations for the​​ clients' local posteriors, which​​​‌ the server then aggregates‌ to infer the global‌​‌ model. They conduct extensive​​ experiments on various datasets,​​​‌ demonstrating that the proposed‌ method outperforms competing baselines‌​‌ that typically rely on​​ unimodal approximations of the​​​‌ local losses.

While FL‌ clients may want to‌​‌ collaborate because they do​​ not have enough data​​​‌ to learn an accurate‌ model on their own,‌​‌ collaboration also introduces a​​ bias–variance trade-off when local​​​‌ data distributions differ. A‌ key challenge is for‌​‌ each client to identify​​ clients with similar distributions​​​‌ while learning the model,‌ a problem that remains‌​‌ largely unresolved. In 37​​, Giovanni Neglia ,​​​‌ together with Franco Galante‌ and Emilio Leonardi (Politechnic‌​‌ University of Turin, Italy),​​ focuses on a particular​​​‌ instance of this challenge,‌ where each client collects‌​‌ samples from a real-valued​​ distribution over time to​​​‌ estimate its mean. Existing‌ algorithms face impractical per-client‌​‌ space and time complexities​​ (linear in the number​​​‌ of clients |A‌|). To address‌​‌ scalability challenges, the authors​​ propose a framework where​​​‌ clients self-organize into a‌ graph, allowing each client‌​‌ to communicate with only​​ a selected number of​​​‌ peers r. They‌ propose two collaborative mean‌​‌ estimation algorithms: one employs​​ a consensus-based approach, while​​​‌ the other uses a‌ message-passing scheme, with complexity‌​‌ 𝒪(r)​​ and 𝒪(r​​​‌log|A|‌), respectively. They‌​‌ establish conditions for both​​ algorithms to yield asymptotically​​​‌ optimal estimates and they‌ provide a theoretical characterization‌​‌ of their performance.

8.3.3​​ Carbon-aware Distributed Learning

Training​​​‌ large-scale machine learning models‌ incurs substantial carbon emissions.‌​‌ Since FL distributes computation​​ across geographically dispersed clients,​​​‌ it offers a natural‌ framework to exploit regional‌​‌ and temporal variations in​​ Carbon Intensity (CI) through​​​‌ carbon-aware participation and scheduling.‌

In 42, Daniel‌​‌ Richards Ravi Arputharaj and​​ Giovanni Neglia , together​​​‌ with Charlotte Rodriguez (Accenture‌ Labs, France) and Angelo‌​‌ Rodio (Linköping University, Sweden),​​ investigate how to reduce​​​‌ emissions in FL through‌ carbon-aware client selection and‌​‌ training scheduling. They first​​ quantify the emission savings​​​‌ of a carbon-aware scheduling‌ policy that leverages slack‌​‌ time—permitting a modest extension​​ of the training duration​​​‌ so that clients can‌ defer local training rounds‌​‌ to lower-carbon periods. They​​ then examine the performance​​​‌ trade-offs of such scheduling,‌ which stem from statistical‌​‌ heterogeneity among clients, selection​​ bias in participation, and​​​‌ temporal correlation in model‌ updates. To leverage these‌​‌ trade-offs, they construct a​​​‌ carbon-aware scheduler that integrates​ slack time, α-fair​‌ carbon allocation, and a​​ global fine-tuning phase. Experiments​​​‌ on real-world CI data​ show that their scheduler​‌ outperforms slack-agnostic baselines, achieving​​ higher model accuracy across​​​‌ a wide range of​ carbon budgets, with especially​‌ strong gains under tight​​ carbon constraints.

8.3.4 Privacy​​​‌ Attacks to Federated Learning​

Although FL keeps raw​‌ data local, the training​​ phase can leak sensitive​​​‌ information through exchanged updates,​ enabling reconstruction attacks that​‌ recover either attributes of​​ the training data or​​​‌ the data themselves. Over​ the last year, we​‌ strengthened the empirical toolbox​​ for privacy evaluation in​​​‌ FL with two attacks​ that substantially broaden the​‌ scope and effectiveness of​​ reconstruction in realistic settings.​​​‌

First, while attribute inference​ attacks (AIA) have been​‌ widely studied for classification,​​ their impact on federated​​​‌ regression had remained largely​ unexplored. In 32,​‌ Giovanni Neglia , together​​ with Francesco Diana, Chuan​​​‌ Xu, and Frederic Giroire​ (Coati Inria team),​‌ Othmane Marfoq (Meta, USA)​​ and Eoin Thomas (Amadeus,​​​‌ France), addresses this gap​ by proposing novel model-based​‌ AIAs specifically designed for​​ regression tasks in FL​​​‌ environments. The authors' approach​ considers scenarios where adversaries​‌ can either eavesdrop on​​ exchanged messages or directly​​​‌ interfere with the training​ process. They benchmark their​‌ proposed attacks against state-of-the-art​​ methods using real-world datasets.​​​‌ The results demonstrate a​ significant increase in reconstruction​‌ accuracy, particularly in heterogeneous​​ client datasets, a common​​​‌ scenario in FL. The​ efficacy of their model-based​‌ AIAs makes them better​​ candidates for empirically quantifying​​​‌ privacy leakage for federated​ regression tasks.

Second, existing​‌ data reconstruction attacks often​​ rely on assumptions about​​​‌ clients' data distributions and​ their effectiveness degrades sharply​‌ when batch sizes exceed​​ a few tens of​​​‌ samples. In 33,​ Giovanni Neglia , together​‌ with Francesco Diana, André​​ Nusser, and Chuan Xu​​​‌ (Coati Inria team),​ introduces a novel data​‌ reconstruction attack that overcomes​​ these limitations. The method​​​‌ leverages a new geometric​ perspective on fully connected​‌ layers to craft malicious​​ model parameters, enabling the​​​‌ perfect recovery of arbitrarily​ large data batches in​‌ classification tasks without any​​ prior knowledge of clients'​​​‌ data. Through extensive experiments​ on both image and​‌ tabular datasets, the authors​​ demonstrate that their attack​​​‌ outperforms existing methods and​ achieves perfect reconstruction of​‌ data batches two orders​​ of magnitude larger than​​​‌ the state of the​ art.

8.4 Game Theory​‌ and Applications

Participants: Khushboo​​ Agarwal, Eitan Altman​​​‌, Konstantin Avrachenkov.​

8.4.1 Games with Irrational​‌ Players

The classical game​​ theory considers rational players​​​‌ and proposes Nash equilibrium​ (NE) as the solution.​‌ However, real-world scenarios rarely​​ feature rational players; instead,​​​‌ players make inconsistent and​ irrational decisions. Often, irrational​‌ players exhibit herding behavior​​ by simply following the​​​‌ majority. In 26,​ Khushboo Agarwal and Konstantin​‌ Avrachenkov , together with​​ Veeraruna Kavitha and Raghupati​​​‌ Vyas (IIT Bombay, India),​ consider a mean-field game​‌ with α-fraction of​​ rational players and the​​​‌ rest being herding-irrational players.​ For such a game,​‌ the authors introduce a​​ novel concept of equilibrium​​ named α-Rational NE​​​‌ (in short, α-RNE).‌ They extensively analyze the‌​‌ α-RNEs and their​​ implications in games with​​​‌ two actions. Due to‌ herding-irrational players, new equilibria‌​‌ may arise, and some​​ classical NEs may be​​​‌ deleted. They establish that‌ the rational players are‌​‌ not harmed but benefit​​ from the presence of​​​‌ irrational players. More interestingly,‌ in some examples, the‌​‌ rational players attain higher​​ utility (under α-RNE)​​​‌ than even the social‌ optimal utility (in the‌​‌ classical setting), by leveraging​​ upon the herding behavior​​​‌ of irrational players. Surprisingly,‌ the irrational players may‌​‌ also benefit by not​​ being rational. They observe​​​‌ that irrational players do‌ not lose compared to‌​‌ some classical NEs for​​ participation and bandwidth-sharing games.​​​‌ Importantly, in bandwidth-sharing game,‌ the irrational players also‌​‌ receive utility near social​​ optimal utility. Such examples​​​‌ indicate that it may‌ sometimes be `rational' to‌​‌ be irrational.

In 13​​, Khushboo Agarwal and​​​‌ Konstantin Avrachenkov , together‌ with Veeraruna Kavitha and‌​‌ Raghupati Vyas (IIT Bombay,​​ India), consider one more​​​‌ realistic behavioral game dynamics‌ where the players choose‌​‌ actions in a turn-by-turn​​ manner and exhibit two​​​‌ prominent behavioral traits—α‌-fraction of them are‌​‌ myopic players who strategically​​ choose optimal actions against​​​‌ the empirical distribution of‌ the previous plays, while‌​‌ the rest exhibit herding​​ behavior by choosing the​​​‌ most popular action till‌ then. The utilities are‌​‌ realized for all, at​​ the end of the​​​‌ game, and each player‌ gets to play only‌​‌ once. The analysis focuses​​ on scenarios when players​​​‌ encounter two possible choices,‌ common in applications like‌​‌ participation games (e.g., crowd-sourcing)​​ or minority games. To​​​‌ begin with, the authors‌ derive the almost sure‌​‌ mean-field limits of such​​ dynamics. The proof is​​​‌ constructive and progressively narrows‌ down the potential limit‌​‌ set and finally establishes​​ the existence of a​​​‌ unique limit for almost‌ all sample paths. The‌​‌ authors argue that the​​ dynamics at the limit​​​‌ is captured by a‌ differential inclusion (and not‌​‌ the usual ordinary differential​​ equation) due to the​​​‌ discontinuities arising from the‌ switching behavioral choices. It‌​‌ is noteworthy that the​​ presented methodology can be​​​‌ easily modified to analyze‌ the avoid-the-crowd behavior, in‌​‌ place of herding behavior.​​ The work is concluded​​​‌ with two interesting examples,‌ named participation game and‌​‌ routing game, which encapsulate​​ several real-life scenarios.

8.4.2​​​‌ Strategic Queueing with Information‌ Cost

Consider an M/M/1-type‌​‌ queue where joining attains​​ a known reward, but​​​‌ a known waiting cost‌ is paid per time‌​‌ unit spent queueing. In​​ the 1960s, Naor showed​​​‌ that any arrival optimally‌ joins the queue if‌​‌ its length is less​​ than a known threshold.​​​‌ Yet acquiring knowledge of‌ the queue length often‌​‌ brings an additional cost,​​ e.g., website loading time​​​‌ or data roaming charge.‌ Therefore, their model presents‌​‌ any arrival with three​​ options: join blindly, balk​​​‌ blindly, or pay a‌ known inspection cost to‌​‌ make the optimal joining​​ decision by comparing the​​​‌ queue length to Naor's‌ threshold. In a recent‌​‌ paper, Hassin and Roet-Green​​​‌ prove that a unique​ Nash equilibrium always exists​‌ and classify regions where​​ the equilibrium probabilities are​​​‌ non-zero. In 17,​ Konstantin Avrachenkov and Eitan​‌ Altman , together with​​ Jake Clarkson (National Highways,​​​‌ United Kingdom), complement these​ findings with new closed-form​‌ expressions for the equilibrium​​ probabilities in the majority​​​‌ of cases. Further, Hassin​ and Roet-Green show that​‌ minimizing inspection cost maximizes​​ social welfare. Envisaging a​​​‌ queue operator choosing where​ to invest, the authors​‌ of 17 compare the​​ effects of lowering inspection​​​‌ cost and increasing the​ queue-joining reward on social​‌ welfare. They prove that​​ the former dominates and​​​‌ that the latter can​ even have a detrimental​‌ effect on social welfare.​​

8.4.3 Kelly Mechanism

The​​​‌ Kelly mechanism is a​ proportional allocation auction widely​‌ adopted in decentralized resource​​ allocation systems to share​​​‌ an infinitely divisible resource​ among competing agents.

In​‌ 41, Eitan Altman​​ , together with Cleque​​​‌ Marlain Mboulou-Moutoubi, Younes Ben​ Mazziane, and Francesco De​‌ Pellegrini (Avignon Université, France),​​ analyze the sequential game​​​‌ the Kelly allocation induces​ when agents have α​‌-fair utilities and behave​​ strategically. The authors' main​​​‌ result proves that synchronous​ best-response updates drive bids​‌ to the unique Nash​​ equilibrium at a linear​​​‌ rate for α∈​{0,1​‌,2}.​​ Extensive simulations reveal that​​​‌ best-response dynamics reach equilibrium​ significantly faster than previously​‌ proposed no-regret learning algorithms.​​

When agents are aware​​​‌ of the allocation mechanism,​ their interactions form a​‌ game. The properties of​​ its Nash equilibria are​​​‌ well understood under the​ simplifying assumption of unbounded​‌ budgets. In 30,​​ Eitan Altman , together​​​‌ with Younes Ben Mazziane,​ Cleque-Marlain Mboulou-Moutoubi, and Francesco​‌ De Pellegrini (Avignon Université,​​ France), analyzes the game​​​‌ in a more realistic​ budget-constrained setting, motivated by​‌ its optimality in terms​​ of the liquid price​​​‌ of anarchy. Specifically, the​ authors establish a sufficient​‌ condition for the uniqueness​​ of the Nash equilibrium​​​‌ and design a distributed​ sequential learning procedure that​‌ provably converges to the​​ equilibrium. In particular, their​​​‌ sufficient condition holds when​ the payoff functions of​‌ the agents are of​​ the proportional fair type​​​‌ in the allocated fraction.​ Finally, extensive numerical experiments​‌ shed light on the​​ interplay between the heterogeneity​​​‌ of the payoff functions​ and the agents' budgets.​‌

8.4.4 Applications to Energy​​ Markets

In 22,​​​‌ 59, Eitan Altman​ , together with Hélène​‌ Le Cadre, Mathis Guckert​​ (Inocs Inria team)​​​‌ and Mandar Datar (CEA-Leti,​ France), consider a peer-to-peer​‌ electricity market modeled as​​ a private network game,​​​‌ where end users minimize​ their cost by computing​‌ their demand and controllable​​ generation. Their nominal demand​​​‌ constitutes sensitive information that​ they might want to​‌ keep private. The authors​​ prove that the private​​​‌ network game admits a​ unique variational equilibrium, which​‌ depends on the private​​ information of all end​​​‌ users. Thus, to update​ their strategy, end users​‌ rely on randomized readings.​​ They introduce a data​​​‌ aggregator, which aims to​ learn the end users’​‌ private information, while remunerating​​ them depending on the​​ quality of their readings.​​​‌ Using performative prediction, they‌ define a decision-dependent game‌​‌ explicitly taking into account​​ the distribution shift caused​​​‌ by the endusers’ hidden‌ ability. The decision-dependent game‌​‌ coincides with a Stackelberg​​ game when the end​​​‌ users’ hidden abilities are‌ best responses. Further, the‌​‌ market robustness can be​​ quantified by evaluating the​​​‌ efficiency loss as the‌ difference between the social‌​‌ cost in the performatively​​ stable equilibrium and the​​​‌ optimum. The authors show‌ that under mild assumptions,‌​‌ the performatively stable equilibrium​​ can be found by​​​‌ distributed and sequential variants‌ of the repeated stochastic‌​‌ gradient method while they​​ propose a two-timescale stochastic​​​‌ approximation method to learn‌ Stackelberg equilibrium. Finally, they‌​‌ formulate the data aggregator’s​​ optimal contract design as​​​‌ a bilevel optimization problem‌ that they cast as‌​‌ a more tractable non-linear​​ non-convex optimization problem which​​​‌ can be solved using‌ simulated annealing. Simulations on‌​‌ small and large scale​​ problem instances illustrate the​​​‌ results.

8.5 Applications in‌ Telecommunications

Participants: Sara Alouf‌​‌, Samir Medina Perlaza​​, Philippe Nain,​​​‌ Giovanni Neglia, Xufeng‌ Zhang.

Over the‌​‌ last year, we pursued​​ several research contributions with​​​‌ direct applications to telecommunications‌ systems. They span scalable‌​‌ online learning methods for​​ caching, fundamental trade-offs in​​​‌ simultaneous information and energy‌ transmission, and the analysis‌​‌ of covert communications under​​ sequential detection constraints.

8.5.1​​​‌ Scalable Online Learning for‌ Caching

Online learning algorithms‌​‌ address sequential decision-making problems​​ where, at each round,​​​‌ a learner selects an‌ action, observes feedback (e.g.,‌​‌ a loss or reward),​​ and updates its decision​​​‌ rule on the fly.‌ A key appeal of‌​‌ these methods is their​​ worst-case, distribution-free guarantee: they​​​‌ ensure sublinear regret with‌ respect to the best‌​‌ fixed decision in hindsight,​​ without requiring statistical assumptions​​​‌ on how requests are‌ generated. This makes online‌​‌ learning particularly attractive for​​ caching, where traffic can​​​‌ be non-stationary and hard‌ to predict. Over the‌​‌ last year, we studied​​ how to make such​​​‌ no-regret caching policies practical‌ at scale, by addressing‌​‌ constraints that arise in​​ real deployments—limited observability of​​​‌ requests, and reduced computational‌ and memory budgets of‌​‌ online algorithms operating over​​ very large catalogs.

Most​​​‌ existing algorithms involve computationally‌ expensive operations and require‌​‌ knowledge of all past​​ requests, which may not​​​‌ be feasible in practical‌ scenarios such as femtocaching,‌​‌ where a base station​​ (BS) jointly decides the​​​‌ content of many edge‌ caches and visibility of‌​‌ all requests at the​​ BS requires constant communication​​​‌ between these caches and‌ the BS. To capture‌​‌ this constraint, in 15​​, Sara Alouf and​​​‌ Giovanni Neglia , together‌ with Younes Ben Mazziane‌​‌ (Université Avignon, France) and​​ Francescomaria Faticanti (ENS, Lyon,​​​‌ France), study a single‌ cache problem under a‌​‌ more restrictive setting, that​​ they refer to as​​​‌ the Bernoulli Partial Observability‌ (BPO) model, in which‌​‌ the caching policy only​​ observes a request with​​​‌ probability p, reflecting‌ the fraction of requests‌​‌ forwarded from the edge​​ caches to the BS​​​‌ in the femtocaching example.‌ They propose a policy,‌​‌ based on the classic​​​‌ online learning algorithm Follow-the-Perturbed-Leader​ (FPL), that achieves an​‌ asymptotically optimal regret bound​​ of 𝒪(C​​​‌T/p)​ under BPO in 𝒪​‌(1) amortized​​ time complexity as T​​​‌ goes to infinity, where​ C is the cache​‌ size and T is​​ the number of requests.​​​‌ Moreover, they show that​ their policy extends to​‌ bipartite caching albeit with​​ a sublinear α-regret​​​‌ for α=1​-1/e​‌ and a higher computational​​ cost. The experimental evaluation​​​‌ compares the proposed solution​ with classic caching policies​‌ and validates the proposed​​ approach using both synthetic​​​‌ and real-world request traces.​

Caching policies based on​‌ online learning algorithms often​​ suffers high computation complexity,​​​‌ which hinders their practical​ adoption. In 16,​‌ Giovanni Neglia and Xufeng​​ Zhang , together with​​​‌ Damiano Carra (University of​ Verona, Italy), introduce a​‌ new variant of the​​ gradient-based online caching policy​​​‌ that achieves groundbreaking logarithmic​ computational complexity relative to​‌ catalog size, while also​​ providing regret guarantees. This​​​‌ advancement allows the authors​ to test the policy​‌ on large-scale, real-world traces​​ featuring millions of requests​​​‌ and items—a significant achievement,​ as such scales have​‌ been beyond the reach​​ of existing policies with​​​‌ regret guarantees. The regret​ guarantees and the low​‌ complexity are also maintained​​ in cases where items​​​‌ have non-uniform sizes. To​ the best of their​‌ knowledge, the proposed solution​​ is the only low-complexity​​​‌ no-regret policy for such​ a case, and their​‌ experimental results demonstrate for​​ the first time that​​​‌ the regret guarantees of​ gradient-based caching policies offer​‌ substantial benefits in practical​​ scenarios.

Online learning algorithms​​​‌ provide robust performance in​ caching problems but require​‌ substantial memory to store​​ per-file historical data, limiting​​​‌ their scalability to large-catalog​ systems. To overcome this​‌ challenge, in 46,​​ Xufeng Zhang , Sara​​​‌ Alouf , and Giovanni​ Neglia propose a dimensionality​‌ reduction algorithm based on​​ the Follow-the-Perturbed-Leader framework and​​​‌ the Johnson–Lindenstrauss lemma. Their​ method significantly reduces memory​‌ consumption while preserving sublinear​​ regret, making it well-suited​​​‌ for caching under resource​ constraints. Experiments on both​‌ synthetic and real-world traces​​ demonstrate its advantages over​​​‌ other memory-efficient approaches.

8.5.2​ Simultaenous Information and Energy​‌ Transmission in Wireless Networks​​

Simultaneous wireless information and​​​‌ power transfer aims to​ use the same radio-frequency​‌ signal to convey information​​ and deliver energy that​​​‌ can be harvested by​ the receiver. A central​‌ challenge is the inherent​​ trade-off between reliable communication​​​‌ and sufficient energy transfer,​ especially in practical regimes​‌ with finite block-length codes​​ and finite input constellations.​​​‌

In 25, Samir​ Medina Perlaza , together​‌ with Sadaf Ul Zuhra​​ and H. Vincent Poor​​​‌ (Princeton University, USA) and​ Mikael Skoglund (KTH Royal​‌ Institute of Technology, Sweden),​​ characterize the trade-offs between​​​‌ information and energy transmission​ over an additive white​‌ Gaussian noise channel in​​ the finite block-length regime​​​‌ with finite channel input​ symbols. The authors characterize​‌ these trade-offs in the​​ form of inequalities involving​​​‌ the information transmission rate,​ energy transmission rate, decoding​‌ error probability (DEP) and​​ energy outage probability (EOP)​​ for a given finite​​​‌ block-length code. The first‌ set of results identify‌​‌ a set of necessary​​ conditions that a given​​​‌ code must satisfy for‌ simultaneous information and energy‌​‌ transmission. They propose a​​ novel method for constructing​​​‌ a family of codes‌ that can satisfy a‌​‌ target information rate, energy​​ rate, DEP and EOP.​​​‌ Finally, achievability results identify‌ the set of tuples‌​‌ of information rate, energy​​ rate, DEP and EOP​​​‌ that can be simultaneously‌ achieved by the constructed‌​‌ family of codes.

8.5.3​​ Covert Communications

Covert communications​​​‌ study how a transmitter‌ (or adversary) can operate‌​‌ while keeping its very​​ presence hard to detect,​​​‌ typically by ensuring that‌ any statistical test at‌​‌ a warden cannot reliably​​ distinguish "signal-present" from "signal-absent."​​​‌ This viewpoint naturally connects‌ to sequential detection: if‌​‌ an observer monitors a​​ process for a change,​​​‌ a covert adversary may‌ adapt its behavior so‌​‌ that the change remains​​ barely detectable and detection​​​‌ is delayed as much‌ as possible under a‌​‌ prescribed false-alarm constraint.

In​​ 57, 24,​​​‌ Philippe Nain , together‌ with Amir Reza Ramtin‌​‌ and Don Towsley (University​​ of Massachusetts Amherst, USA),​​​‌ investigate the problem of‌ covert quickest change detection‌​‌ in a continuous-time setting,​​ where a Brownian motion​​​‌ experiences a drift change‌ at an unknown time.‌​‌ Unlike classical formulations, the​​ authors consider a covert​​​‌ adversary who adjusts the‌ post-change drift μ=‌​‌μ(γ)​​ as a function of​​​‌ the false alarm constraint‌ parameter γ, with‌​‌ the goal of remaining​​ undetected for as long​​​‌ as possible. Leveraging the‌ exact expressions for the‌​‌ average detection delay (ADD)​​ and average time to​​​‌ false alarm (AT2FA) known‌ for the continuous-time CuSum‌​‌ procedure, the authors rigorously​​ analyze how the asymptotic​​​‌ behavior of ADD evolves‌ as μ(γ‌​‌)0 with​​ increasing γ. Their​​​‌ results reveal that classical‌ detection delay characterizations no‌​‌ longer hold in this​​ regime. They derive sharp​​​‌ asymptotic expressions for the‌ ADD under various convergence‌​‌ rates of μ(​​γ), identify​​​‌ precise conditions for maintaining‌ covertness, and characterize the‌​‌ total damage inflicted by​​ the adversary. They show​​​‌ that the adversary achieves‌ maximal damage when the‌​‌ drift scales as μ​​(γ)=​​​‌Θ(1/‌γ), marking‌​‌ a fundamental trade-off between​​ stealth and impact in​​​‌ continuous time detection systems.‌

9 Bilateral contracts and‌​‌ grants with industry

9.1​​ Bilateral contracts with industry​​​‌

Neo has contracts with‌ EDF (see §9.1.1‌​‌), Hivenet (see §​​9.1.2), Nokia (see​​​‌ §9.1.3), NSP‌ SmartProfile (see §9.1.4‌​‌), and Orange Labs​​ (see §9.1.5).​​​‌

9.1.1 Cifre contract with‌ EDF “Automated and responsible‌​‌ recommendation systems for digital​​ marketing” (February 2025 –​​​‌ January 2028)

Participants: Gaspard‌ Gerard Philippe Berthelier,‌​‌ Samir Medina Perlaza,​​ Giovanni Neglia.

  • Contractor​​​‌: EDF
  • Collaborators:‌ Etienne Le Naour, Tahar‌​‌ Nabil, Richard Niamke

In​​ collaboration with EDF, in​​​‌ the framework of Gaspard‌ Gerard Philippe Berthelier 's‌​‌ PhD thesis, we develop​​​‌ federated learning methods tailored​ to time series forecasting​‌ in the energy sector.​​ Our project explores personalized​​​‌ FL to allow each​ client to learn specialized​‌ models while benefiting from​​ collaborative training. We also​​​‌ investigate the use of​ public or non-sensitive data​‌ to improve representation learning​​ and model initialization. This​​​‌ work aims to deliver​ privacy-preserving, adaptive FL methods​‌ suitable for real-world industrial​​ time series applications.

9.1.2​​​‌ Inria challenge with Hivenet​ (September 2025–August 2029)

Participant:​‌ Giovanni Neglia.

  • Project​​ Acronym:
  • Project Title:​​​‌
    Collaborative Unified Platform for​ a Scalable and Efficient​‌ Learning Infrastructure
  • Duration:
    September​​ 2025–August 2029
  • Abstract:
    The​​​‌ CUPSELI challenge ambitions to​ push the boundaries of​‌ distributed computing and artificial​​ intelligence to offer a​​​‌ sovereign, secure, and sustainable​ alternative to centralized cloud​‌ solutions. It mobilizes a​​ large scientific community, bringing​​​‌ together 11 Inria research​ teams from six research​‌ centers: Rennes, Bordeaux, Lorraine,​​ Côte d’Azur, Lyon, and​​​‌ Paris. The CUPSELI challenge​ addresses three major technological​‌ challenges: sustainable and distributed​​ AI across diverse computing​​​‌ hardware, distributed and secure​ computing, and large-scale distributed​‌ computing. Two PhD students​​ will be recruited during​​​‌ 2026 in the framework​ of this project.

9.1.3​‌ Contracts with Nokia

Inria​​ Challenge LearnNet

Participants: Ahmad​​​‌ Nasser, Giovanni Neglia​, Ying Zheng.​‌

  • Project Acronym:
  • Project​​ Title:
    Learning Networks
  • Duration:​​​‌
    January 2024 - December​ 2027
  • Abstract:

    While machine​‌ learning is revolutionizing entire​​ sectors of the digital​​​‌ economy and scientific research,​ its robust deployment in​‌ digital infrastructures raises many​​ questions. The challenge Learning​​​‌ Networks (LearnNet) explores new​ avenues of research at​‌ the intersection of the​​ fields of networks and​​​‌ learning. This challenge has​ two complementary objectives: rethinking​‌ the design of network​​ protocols to serve machine​​​‌ learning applications, and exploring​ how learning can improve​‌ network management. Thus the​​ LearnNet challenge studies the​​​‌ growing entanglement between the​ challenges of large-scale learning​‌ and network design.

    LearnNet​​ is a research project​​​‌ that spans 8 Inria​ research teams. The teams​‌ from Nokia are AIRL​​ and NSSR.

  • Collaborators:
    Fabio​​​‌ Pianese, Chung Shue Chen​ (Nokia)
  • Publications in 2025:​‌
    39
Inria Challenge SmartNet​​

Participants: Sara Alouf,​​​‌ Adrien Sardi.

  • Project​ Acronym:
  • Project Title:​‌
    AI Methods for Smart​​ Network Management
  • Duration:
    January​​​‌ 2024 - December 2027​
  • Abstract:

    The advent of​‌ virtualization, combined with the​​ power of AI, has​​​‌ brought new opportunities in​ network management. To effectively​‌ address the challenges that​​ come with this paradigm​​​‌ shift, the SmartNet project​ is dedicated to exploring​‌ the transformative potential of​​ AI methods in enabling​​​‌ smart network management. The​ project strategically focuses on​‌ two key areas: slice​​ provisioning and causal analysis​​​‌ of network malfunctions. The​ project is dedicated to​‌ the development of cutting-edge​​ methods to respond effectively​​​‌ to the growing complexity​ of networks, particularly in​‌ multi-domain scenarios.

    SmartNet is​​ a research project that​​​‌ spans 5 Inria research​ teams. The teams from​‌ Nokia are MLS and​​ NSSR.

  • Cifre contract
    “Energy​​​‌ efficient management/provisioning of Generative​ AI services for 6G​‌ networks ” (January 2025​​ – December 2027) related​​ to the Cifre thesis​​​‌ contract of A. Sardi.‌
  • Collaborator
    : Marie-Line Alberi-Morel‌​‌ (Nokia)

9.1.4 Cifre contract​​ with NSP-SmartProfile “Automated and​​​‌ responsible recommendation systems for‌ digital marketing” (August 2022‌​‌ – May 2026)

Participants:​​ Konstantin Avrachenkov, Ibtihal​​​‌ El Mimouni.

  • Contractor‌: NSP-SmartProfile
  • Collaborators:‌​‌ Hervé Baile, Julien Musso​​

SmartProfile is a marketing​​​‌ platform that allows to‌ collect, to enhance and‌​‌ to analyze marketing data.​​ Digital marketing campaigns continue​​​‌ to expand across all‌ digital channels and media.‌​‌ The 'mass marketing' strategies​​ implemented by most companies​​​‌ show limits in terms‌ of performance and acceptance‌​‌ by clients, as well​​ as in terms of​​​‌ their impact on the‌ environment. In opposite to‌​‌ these practices, we believe​​ that current technologies, particularly​​​‌ in terms of Artificial‌ Intelligence (AI), should make‌​‌ marketing interactions more efficient​​ and virtuous. Through this​​​‌ research project, we want‌ to create an alternative‌​‌ solution to mass marketing​​ by switching to an​​​‌ intelligent, automated and eco-responsible‌ system, which will support‌​‌ the heterogeneity of data​​ and the diversity of​​​‌ sectors, and whose purpose‌ is to recommend the‌​‌ best content by determining​​ the most relevant target​​​‌ and taking into account‌ the communication constraints. This‌​‌ contract complements the Cifre​​ thesis of Ibtihal El​​​‌ Mimouni. Relevant publications: 34‌, 35.

9.1.5‌​‌ Cifre contract with Orange​​ Labs “Analytical modeling of​​​‌ large-scale wireless networks integrating‌ RIS” (September 2023 –‌​‌ September 2026)

Participants: Eitan​​ Altman, Konstantin Avrachenkov​​​‌, Julian Alfonso Santos‌ Bustos.

  • Contractor:‌​‌ Orange Labs
  • Collaborators:​​ Jean-Marc Kelif

A Reconfigurable​​​‌ Intelligent Surface (RIS) is‌ a programmable surface structure‌​‌ that allows one to​​ control the reflection of​​​‌ electromagnetic (EM) waves by‌ changing the electric and‌​‌ magnetic properties of the​​ surface. In the absence​​​‌ of RIS, short wavelentghs‌ signals as in 5G,‌​‌ are subject to a​​ huge attenuation when there​​​‌ is no direct line‌ of sight channel. Within‌​‌ our collaboration, we shall​​ evaluate and optimize the​​​‌ position of RIS.

This‌ contract complements the Cifre‌​‌ thesis of J. Santos.​​

10 Partnerships and cooperations​​​‌

10.1 International initiatives

10.1.1‌ Inria associate team not‌​‌ involved in an IIL​​ or an international program​​​‌

LION

Participants: Khushboo Agarwal‌, Eitan Altman,‌​‌ Konstantin Avrachenkov, Samir​​ Medina Perlaza.

  • Title:​​​‌
    Learning In Operations and‌ Networks
  • Duration:
    2022 –‌​‌ 2025
  • Coordinator:
    Kavitha Veeraruna​​
  • Partners:
    Indian Institute of​​​‌ Technology Bombay (India)
  • Inria‌ contact:
    Eitan Altman
  • Summary:‌​‌
    Artificial Intelligence (AI) has​​ affected all walks of​​​‌ life. We study its‌ application in various domains‌​‌ like
    1. Learning and Control​​ in Healthcare: Our aim​​​‌ is to use novel‌ AI methodologies, to predict‌​‌ the results of possible​​ actions of involved decision-makers,​​​‌ using the available data.‌
    2. Dual Learning Algorithms in‌​‌ wireless networks: We aim​​ to develop learning algorithms​​​‌ for beam alignment in‌ 5G Wireless networks to‌​‌ maintain high rates. We​​ propose to use Age​​​‌ of Information as a‌ metric.
    3. Distributed and reinforcement‌​‌ learning: We will develop​​ and analyze Deep Q-Network​​​‌ based learning algorithms and‌ analyze their performance.
  • Publications‌​‌ in 2025:
    13,​​​‌ 26, 27,​ 28.

10.1.2 STIC/MATH/CLIMAT​‌ AmSud projects

GSA

Participants:​​ Konstantin Avrachenkov, Alain​​​‌ Jean-Marie.

  • Title:
    Graph​ Spectra and Applications
  • Program:​‌
    MATH-AmSud
  • Duration:
    January 1,​​ 2023 – December 31,​​​‌ 2025
  • Local supervisor:
    Konstantin​ Avrachenkov
  • Partners:
    • V.Trevisan, L.E.​‌ Allem, A.M. França, C.​​ Hoppen, UFRGS, UFF (Brésil)​​​‌
    • A. Pastine, Universidad Nacional​ de San Luis (Argentine)​‌
    • L. Medina, Universidad de​​ Antofagasta (Chile)
  • Inria contact:​​​‌
    Konstantin Avrachenkov
  • Latin America​ contact:
    Vilmar Trevisan
  • Summary:​‌
    The present project proposes​​ the establishment of a​​​‌ network of collaboration among​ Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and​‌ France, using the strength​​ of 5 mathematics groups​​​‌ of 5 different institutions.​ The research topic of​‌ the proposal is Algebraic​​ Graph Theory, an important​​​‌ and modern area of​ discrete mathematics. The proposal​‌ is structured in such​​ a way that the​​​‌ training of highly qualified​ human resources and research​‌ activities are intertwined, this​​ will ensure the generation​​​‌ of new knowledge in​ a relevant scientific area​‌ and leave permanent ties​​ of collaboration between the​​​‌ different research groups beyond​ the completion of the​‌ project.

10.1.3 Participation in​​ other International Programs

MICCHI​​​‌

Participant: Alain Jean-Marie.​

  • Title:
    Mecanismos e Incentivos​‌ Contra la Crisis HIdrica​​
  • Funding:
    Chile's Agencia Nacional​​​‌ de Investigación y Desarollo​ (ANID)
  • Partners:
    • Universidad de​‌ O'Higgins, Chile (coordinator)
    • Universidad​​ de Chile, Chile
    • Universidad​​​‌ de Barcelona, Spain
    • INRAe,​ France
  • Duration:
    January 2024​‌ - December 2025
  • Summary:​​
    The water crisis caused​​​‌ by global warming is​ one of the most​‌ important problems affecting agricultural​​ regions such as the​​​‌ sixth chilean Region of​ O'Higgins. The main objective​‌ of this project is​​ to investigate different mechanisms​​​‌ for the allocation of​ water resources in times​‌ of scarcity.

10.2 International​​ research visitors

10.2.1 Visits​​​‌ of international scientists

Other​ international visits to the​‌ team: research stay
Kalle​​ Alaluusua
  • Status
    PhD student​​​‌
  • Institution of origin:
    Aalto​ University
  • Country:
    Finland
  • Dates:​‌
    14 to 18 April​​ 2025
  • Context of the​​​‌ visit:
    collaboration on the​ topic of geometric network​‌ clustering
  • Mobility program/type of​​ mobility:
    research stay
Damiano​​​‌ Carra
  • Status
    Full Professor​
  • Institution of origin:
    University​‌ of Verona
  • Country:
    Italy​​
  • Dates:
    6 to 10​​​‌ October 2025
  • Context of​ the visit:
    collaboration on​‌ low-regret online learning
  • Mobility​​ program/type of mobility:
    research​​​‌ stay
Kousic Das
  • Status​
    Post-doc
  • Institution of origin:​‌
    IIT Bombay
  • Country:
    India​​
  • Dates:
    17 to 21​​​‌ November 2025
  • Context of​ the visit:
    collaboration on​‌ stochastic processes, queueing theory​​ and game theory (associated​​​‌ team LION)
  • Mobility program/type​ of mobility:
    research stay​‌
Diego Goldsztajn
  • Status
    Post-doc​​
  • Institution of origin:
    University​​​‌ ORT Uruguay
  • Country:
    Uruguay​
  • Dates:
    27 October to​‌ 2 November 2025
  • Context​​ of the visit:
    collaboration​​​‌ on Markov decision processes​
  • Mobility program/type of mobility:​‌
    research stay
Lorenzo Gregoris​​
  • Status
    PhD student
  • Institution​​​‌ of origin:
    Eindhoven University​ of Technology
  • Country:
    The​‌ Netherlands
  • Dates:
    29 April​​ to 28 May 2025​​​‌
  • Context of the visit:​
    collaboration on a new​‌ approach on Red Light​​ Green Light Method for​​​‌ Solving Large Markov Chains​
  • Mobility program/type of mobility:​‌
    research stay
Vinay Kumar​​
  • Status
    Post-doc
  • Institution of​​ origin:
    Eindhoven University of​​​‌ Technology
  • Country:
    The Netherlands‌
  • Dates:
    14 to 18‌​‌ April 2025
  • Context of​​ the visit:
    collaboration on​​​‌ the topic of geometric‌ network clustering
  • Mobility program/type‌​‌ of mobility:
    research stay​​
Lasse Leskela
  • Status
    Professor​​​‌
  • Institution of origin:
    Aalto‌ University
  • Country:
    Finland
  • Dates:‌​‌
    14 to 18 April​​ 2025
  • Context of the​​​‌ visit:
    collaboration on the‌ topic of geometric network‌​‌ clustering
  • Mobility program/type of​​ mobility:
    research stay
Taisiia​​​‌ Morozova
  • Status
    PhD student‌
  • Institution of origin:
    Uppsala‌​‌ University
  • Country:
    Sweden
  • Dates:​​
    2 to 28 June​​​‌ 2025
  • Context of the‌ visit:
    collaboration on mean-field‌​‌ and clustering methods for​​ 5G cellular systems
  • Mobility​​​‌ program/type of mobility:
    research‌ stay
Angelo Rodio
  • Status‌​‌
    Post-doc
  • Institution of origin:​​
    Linkoping University
  • Country:
    Sweden​​​‌
  • Dates:
    20 to 26‌ March 2025
  • Context of‌​‌ the visit:
    collaboration on​​ semi-decentralized federated learning
  • Mobility​​​‌ program/type of mobility:
    research‌ stay
Rajesh Sundaresan
  • Status‌​‌
    Professor
  • Institution of origin:​​
    Indian Institute of Science,​​​‌ Bangalore
  • Country:
    India
  • Dates:‌
    21 to 29 October‌​‌ 2025
  • Context of the​​ visit:
    collaboration on stochastic​​​‌ perturbation of a dynamic‌ system
  • Mobility program/type of‌​‌ mobility:
    research stay
Jacopo​​ Talpini
  • Status
    Post-doc
  • Institution​​​‌ of origin:
    University of‌ Milano-Bicocca
  • Country:
    Italy
  • Dates:‌​‌
    26 to 28 May​​ 2025
  • Context of the​​​‌ visit:
    collaboration on federated‌ learning in a single‌​‌ communication
  • Mobility program/type of​​ mobility:
    research stay
Alexander​​​‌ Van Werde
  • Status
    Post-doc‌
  • Institution of origin:
    Munster‌​‌ University
  • Country:
    Germany
  • Dates:​​
    11 to 18 October​​​‌ 2025
  • Context of the‌ visit:
    collaboration on clustering‌​‌ of sparse geometric graphs​​
  • Mobility program/type of mobility:​​​‌
    research stay
Kavitha Veeraruna‌
  • Status
    Professor
  • Institution of‌​‌ origin:
    IIT Bombay
  • Country:​​
    India
  • Dates:
    17 to​​​‌ 21 November 2025
  • Context‌ of the visit:
    collaboration‌​‌ on stochastic processes, queueing​​ theory and game theory​​​‌ (associated team LION)
  • Mobility‌ program/type of mobility:
    research‌​‌ stay
Uri Yechiali
  • Status​​
    Emeritus Professor
  • Institution of​​​‌ origin:
    Tel Aviv University‌
  • Country:
    Israel
  • Dates:
    21‌​‌ to 24 April 2025​​
  • Context of the visit:​​​‌
    collaboration on strategic queues‌ in a random environment‌​‌
  • Mobility program/type of mobility:​​
    research stay
Other international​​​‌ visits to the team:‌ internship
Antonio Honsell
  • Status‌​‌
    intern (BSc)
  • Institution of​​ origin:
    Bocconi University
  • Country:​​​‌
    Italy
  • Dates:
    16 June‌ to 29 August 2025‌​‌
  • Context of the visit:​​
    working on federated learning​​​‌ and privacy preservation
  • Mobility‌ program/type of mobility:
    internship‌​‌
Pietro Tellarini
  • Status
    intern​​ (master/eng)
  • Institution of origin:​​​‌
    University of Bologna
  • Country:‌
    Italy
  • Dates:
    10 March‌​‌ to 31 August 2026​​
  • Context of the visit:​​​‌
    working on similarity caching‌ for text-to-image streaming models‌​‌
  • Mobility program/type of mobility:​​
    internship

10.2.2 Visits to​​​‌ international teams

Research stays‌ abroad
Konstantin Avrachenkov
  • Visited‌​‌ institution:
    Indian Institute of​​ Technology (Bombay)
  • Country:
    India​​​‌
  • Dates:
    20 January -‌ 2 February 2025
  • Context‌​‌ of the visit:
    Visit​​ to Associate Team LION​​​‌
  • Mobility program/type of mobility:‌
    research stay
  • Visited institution:‌​‌
    University of Liverpool
  • Country:​​
    UK
  • Dates:
    25-30 March​​​‌ 2025
  • Context of the‌ visit:
    Visit to Dr.‌​‌ Alexey Piunovskiy
  • Mobility program/type​​ of mobility:
    research stay​​​‌
  • Visited institutions:
    UFRJ and‌ UFRGS / University of‌​‌ Buenos Aires / ORT​​​‌ University Montevideo
  • Country:
    Brazil​ / Argentina / Uruguay​‌
  • Dates:
    24 November -​​ 14 December 2025.
  • Context​​​‌ of the visit:
    Research​ visit, seminars
  • Mobility program/type​‌ of mobility:
    MATH-AmSud GSA​​
Yaiza Bermudez
  • Visited institutions:​​​‌
    University of Cambridge /​ Sheffield University
  • Country:
    UK​‌
  • Dates:
    13-23 May 2025​​
  • Context of the visit:​​​‌
    collaborations with Albert Guillen​ i Fabregas, Iñaki Esnaola​‌
  • Mobility program/type of mobility:​​
    research stay
  • Visited institution:​​​‌
    Universidad Carlos III de​ Madrid
  • Country:
    Spain
  • Dates:​‌
    15-19 December 2025
  • Context​​ of the visit:
    collaboration​​​‌ with Tobias Koch
  • Mobility​ program/type of mobility:
    research​‌ stay
Alain Jean-Marie
  • Visited​​ institution:
    Universidad O'Higgins
  • Country:​​​‌
    Chile
  • Dates:
    12 to​ 21 April 2025
  • Context​‌ of the visit:
    project​​ MICCHI (§10.1.3)​​​‌
  • Mobility program/type of mobility:​
    research stay
Samir Medina​‌ Perlaza
  • Visited institution:
    GAATI​​ Mathematic Laboratory, Université de​​​‌ la Polynésie française.
  • Country:​
    Polynésie française
  • Dates:
    31​‌ January - 15 February​​ 2025
  • Context of the​​​‌ visit:
    collaboration with Gaetan​ Bisson
  • Mobility program/type of​‌ mobility:
    research stay
  • Visited​​ institution:
    Centre for Mathematical​​​‌ Sciences, University of Cambridge​
  • Country:
    UK
  • Dates:
    25-27​‌ February 2025
  • Context of​​ the visit:
    collaboration with​​​‌ Albert Gillen i Fabregas​
  • Mobility program/type of mobility:​‌
    seminar
  • Visited institution:
    Universidad​​ Carlos III de Madrid​​​‌
  • Country:
    Spain
  • Dates:
    2-5​ April 2025
  • Context of​‌ the visit:
    collaboration with​​ Tobias Koch
  • Mobility program/type​​​‌ of mobility:
    seminar
Giovanni​ Neglia
  • Visited institution:
    Univ.​‌ Palermo
  • Country:
    Italy
  • Dates:​​
    12 to 16 February​​​‌ 2025
  • Context of the​ visit:
    collaboration on federated​‌ learning
  • Mobility program/type of​​ mobility:
    research stay, seminar​​​‌
  • Visited institution:
    Univ. Federal​ Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)​‌
  • Country:
    Brazil
  • Dates:
    17​​ to 27 October 2025​​​‌
  • Context of the visit:​
    collaboration with Daniel Figueiredo,​‌ Daniel Sadoc Menasche and​​ Giulio Iacobelli on distributed​​​‌ AI
  • Mobility program/type of​ mobility:
    research stay, seminar​‌

10.3 European initiatives

10.3.1​​ Horizon Europe

dAIEDGE

Participants:​​​‌ Sara Alouf, Alain​ Jean-Marie, Giovanni Neglia​‌.

dAIEDGE project on​​ cordis.europa.eu

  • Title:
    A network​​​‌ of excellence for distributed,​ trustworthy, efficient and scalable​‌ AI at the Edge​​
  • Duration:
    From September 1,​​​‌ 2023 to August 31,​ 2026
  • Partners:
    • INSTITUT NATIONAL​‌ DE RECHERCHE EN INFORMATIQUE​​ ET AUTOMATIQUE (INRIA), France​​​‌
    • NVISO SA (NVISO), Switzerland​
    • UBOTICA TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED, Ireland​‌
    • UNIVERSITE COTE D'AZUR, France​​
    • CSEM CENTRE SUISSE D'ELECTRONIQUE​​​‌ ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE SA​ - RECHERCHE ET DEVELOPPEMENT​‌ (CSEM), Switzerland
    • VARJO TECHNOLOGIES​​ OY, Finland
    • FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT​​​‌ ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN​ FORSCHUNG EV (Fraunhofer), Germany​‌
    • THALES SIX GTS FRANCE​​ SAS (THALES SIX GTS​​​‌ France), France
    • COMMISSARIAT A​ L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET​‌ AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES (CEA),​​ France
    • INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICRO-ELECTRONICA CENTRUM​​​‌ (IMEC), Belgium
    • SOFIA UNIVERSITY​ ST KLIMENT OHRIDSKI (UNISOFIA),​‌ Bulgaria
    • IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI​​ EREVNAS (FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH​​​‌ AND TECHNOLOGYHELLAS), Greece
    • FUNDACION​ INSTITUTO INTERNACIONAL DE INVESTIGACION​‌ EN INTELIGENCIA ARTIFICIAL Y​​ CIENCIAS DE LA COMPUTACION,​​​‌ Spain
    • BONSEYES COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION,​ Switzerland
    • SINTEF AS (SINTEF),​‌ Norway
    • DEUTSCHES FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM FUR​​ KUNSTLICHE INTELLIGENZ GMBH (DFKI),​​​‌ Germany
    • DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR​ LUFT - UND RAUMFAHRT​‌ EV (DLR), Germany
    • FUNDACION​​ CENTRO DE TECNOLOGIAS DE​​​‌ INTERACCION VISUAL Y COMUNICACIONES​ VICOMTECH (VICOM), Spain
    • FUNDINGBOX​‌ ACCELERATOR SP ZOO (FBA),​​ Poland
    • BLEKINGE TEKNISKA HOGSKOLA​​ (BTH), Sweden
    • EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE​​​‌ HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH (ETH Zürich),‌ Switzerland
    • SYNOPSYS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED‌​‌ (SYNOPSYS), Ireland
    • UNIVERSIDAD DE​​ CASTILLA - LA MANCHA​​​‌ (UCLM), Spain
    • SAFRAN ELECTRONICS‌ & DEFENSE, France
    • VERSES‌​‌ GLOBAL BV, Netherlands
    • HAUTE​​ ECOLE SPECIALISEE DE SUISSE​​​‌ OCCIDENTALE (HES-SO), Switzerland
    • UNIVERSITY‌ OF GLASGOW, United Kingdom‌​‌
    • STMICROELECTRONICS SRL, Italy
    • Aegis​​ Rider AG (Aegis Rider),​​​‌ Switzerland
    • CENTRE NATIONAL DE‌ LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS‌​‌ (CNRS), France
    • KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT​​ LEUVEN (KU Leuven), Belgium​​​‌
    • UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI‌ MODENA E REGGIO EMILIA‌​‌ (UNIMORE), Italy
    • THE UNIVERSITY​​ OF EDINBURGH (UEDIN), United​​​‌ Kingdom
    • HIPERT SRL, Italy‌
    • UNIVERSIDAD DE SALAMANCA (USAL),‌​‌ Spain
    • SORBONNE UNIVERSITE, France​​
    • CENTRE D'EXCELLENCE EN TECHNOLOGIES​​​‌ DE L'INFORMATION ET DE‌ LA COMMUNICATION (CETIC), Belgium‌​‌
  • Inria contact:
    Giovanni Neglia​​
  • Coordinator:
    Alain Pagani (DFKI)​​​‌
  • Summary:
    The proposal focuses‌ on the Next Generation‌​‌ AI topic of the​​ call HORIZON-CL4-2022-HUMAN-02-02. The vision​​​‌ of dAIEDGE Network of‌ Excellence (NoE) is to‌​‌ strengthen and support the​​ development of the dynamic​​​‌ European edge and distributed‌ Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem‌​‌ as an essential ingredient​​ in the growth and​​​‌ competitiveness of European industrial‌ sectors. The dAIEDGE Network‌​‌ aims to reinforce the​​ research and innovation value​​​‌ chains to accelerate the‌ digital and green transitions‌​‌ through advanced edge AI​​ technologies, applications, and innovations,​​​‌ building on Europe's existing‌ assets and industrial strengths.‌​‌ In parallel, it will​​ fortify the edge AI​​​‌ research and industrial communities‌ through technological developments beyond‌​‌ state of the art​​ and become a dependable​​​‌ and strategic pillar for‌ the European AI Lighthouse.‌​‌ This will be achieved​​ by mobilizing and connecting​​​‌ the European AI and‌ edge AI constituency, the‌​‌ relevant stakeholders, European partnerships,​​ and projects, to provide​​​‌ roadmaps, guidelines and trends‌ supporting the next-generation edge‌​‌ AI technologies. The key​​ aim is to support​​​‌ and ensure rapid development,‌ market uptake and open‌​‌ strategic sovereignty for Europe​​ in the critical technologies​​​‌ for distributed edge AI‌ (hardware, software, frameworks, tools).‌​‌ The dAIEDGE NoE will​​ play a catalyst role​​​‌ in building a solid‌ edge AI virtual network‌​‌ of research facilities and​​ laboratories to benefit the​​​‌ European research and industrial‌ community. The NoE multidisciplinary‌​‌ concept provide an arena​​ for matchmaking, exchanging ideas,​​​‌ tools, and services, by‌ bringing together the leading‌​‌ research centers, AI-on-demand platforms,​​ digital innovation hubs, AI​​​‌ projects and initiatives. The‌ ultimate goal for the‌​‌ dAIEDGE NoE is to​​ support Europe to become​​​‌ a global center of‌ excellence with unique human-centered‌​‌ edge AI competence addressing​​ the social and economic​​​‌ challenges and the needs‌ of the citizens and‌​‌ society.
  • Publications in 2025:​​
    16, 32,​​​‌ 33, 37,‌ 39, 42,‌​‌ 44, 46.​​
FINALITY

Participants: Sara Alouf​​​‌, Giovanni Neglia,‌ Isidoor Pinillo Esquivel,‌​‌ Jingye Wang.

FINALITY​​ project on cordis.europa.eu

  • Title:​​​‌
    saFe learNIng for lArge‌ scaLe InTerconnected sYstems
  • Duration:‌​‌
    From March 1, 2025​​ to February 28, 2029​​​‌
  • Partners:
    • INSTITUT NATIONAL DE‌ RECHERCHE EN INFORMATIQUE ET‌​‌ AUTOMATIQUE (INRIA), France
    • SISTEMAS​​ AVANZADOS DE TECNOLOGIA SA,​​​‌ Spain
    • UNIVERSIDAD PUBLICA DE‌ NAVARRA, Spain
    • UNIVERSITE COTE‌​‌ D'AZUR, France
    • ORANGE SA​​​‌ (Orange), France
    • KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA​ HOEGSKOLAN (KTH), Sweden
    • FUNDACION​‌ IMDEA NETWORKS (IMDEA NETWORKS),​​ Spain
    • AVIGNON UNIVERSITE, France​​​‌
    • ERICSSON AB (EAB), Sweden​
    • TELEFONICA INNOVACION DIGITAL SL,​‌ Spain
    • NOKIA SPAIN SA,​​ Spain
    • NOKIA NETWORKS FRANCE,​​​‌ France
    • SAFRAN PASSENGER INNOVATIONS​ GERMANY GMBH (SPI), Germany​‌
    • THE CYPRUS INSTITUTE (THE​​ CYPRUS INSTITUTE), Cyprus
    • UNIVERSIDAD​​​‌ CARLOS III DE MADRID​ (UC3M), Spain
    • TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT​‌ DELFT (TU Delft), Netherlands​​
  • Inria contact:
    Giovanni Neglia​​​‌
  • Coordinator:
    Francesco De Pellegrini​ (Avignon Université, France)
  • Summary:​‌
    FINALITY evolves the theoretical​​ computer science curriculum focusing​​​‌ on the mastery of​ prompt and safe learning​‌ techniques for interconnected systems.​​ The trainee team will​​​‌ develop and integrate innovative​ methodological tools specialized for​‌ AI-intensive resource allocation, particularly​​ in the context of​​​‌ large-scale critical infrastructures for​ communication and computing. They​‌ will combine AI methods​​ that are safe by​​​‌ respecting system boundaries and​ are prompt in adapting​‌ to the environmental changes.​​ Throughout their research training,​​​‌ the FINALITY candidates will​ prioritize the principles of​‌ fairness and computational parsimony​​ of AI methods. The​​​‌ FINALITY doctoral team will​ be supported by a​‌ world-class team of academic​​ and industrial advisors, who​​​‌ work routinely on all​ the tools used in​‌ AI-based RA, advancing their​​ theoretical foundations and their​​​‌ application in the industrial​ domain. They possess extensive​‌ experience in training doctoral​​ students, and an excellent​​​‌ track record of joint​ research activities across the​‌ consortium. International exposure and​​ dissemination are ensured by​​​‌ an extra-EU supervisory board​
  • Publications in 2025:

10.4​ National initiatives

NF-FOUNDS PC9​‌ PEPR 5G

Participants: Khushboo​​ Agarwal, Eitan Altman​​​‌, Samir Medina Perlaza​, Guodong Sun.​‌

  • Project Acronym:
    NF-FOUNDS
  • Project​​ Title:
    Networks of the​​​‌ Future - Foundations of​ Future Communications Networks
  • Program:​‌
    ANR-22-PEFT-0010
  • Coordinator:
    CEA (Dmitri​​ Kténas), CNRS (Serge Verdeyme),​​​‌ IMT (Daniel Koffman)
  • Duration:​
    2023 - 2030
  • Other​‌ Partners:
    EURECOM
  • Summary:
    The​​ 5G network and the​​​‌ networks of the future​ represent a key issue​‌ for French and European​​ industry, society and digital​​​‌ sovereignty. This is why​ the French government has​‌ decided to launch a​​ dedicated national strategy. One​​​‌ of this strategy's priority​ ambitions is to produce​‌ significant public research efforts​​ so the national scientific​​​‌ community contributes fully to​ making progress that clearly​‌ responds to the challenges​​ of 5G and the​​​‌ networks of the future.​ In this context, the​‌ CNRS, the CEA and​​ the Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT)​​​‌ are co-leading the '5G'​ acceleration PEPR to support​‌ upstream research into the​​ development of advanced technologies​​​‌ for 5G and the​ networks of the future.​‌ Neo  is involved in​​ the theme "Networks and​​​‌ Telecommunications" and more specifically​ in the targeted projet​‌ 9 (PC9) Foundations of​​ Future Communications Networks (FOUNDS).​​​‌
  • Publications in 2025:
ANR PARFAIT

Participants:​​ Eitan Altman, Samir​​​‌ Medina Perlaza, Xinying​ Zou.

  • Project Acronym:​‌
  • Project Title:
    Planning​​ And leaRning For AI-Edge​​ compuTing
  • Coordinator:
    Avignon Univ.​​​‌
  • Duration:
    October 2021 -‌ September 2025
  • Other Partners:‌​‌
    Conservatoire National des Arts​​ et Métiers (CNAM), Univ.​​​‌ Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB)‌
  • Summary:
    The PARFAIT project‌​‌ develops theoretical foundations for​​ distributed and scalable resource​​​‌ allocation schemes on edge‌ computing infrastructures tailored for‌​‌ AI-based processing tasks. Algorithmic​​ solutions will be developed​​​‌ based on the theory‌ of constrained, delayed, and‌​‌ distributed Markov decision processes​​ to account for edge​​​‌ service orchestration actions and‌ quantify the effect of‌​‌ orchestration policies. Furthermore, using​​ both game and team​​​‌ formulations, the project will‌ pave the way for‌​‌ a theory of decentralized​​ orchestration, a missing building​​​‌ block necessary to match‌ the application quest for‌​‌ data proximity and the​​ synchronization problems that arise​​​‌ when multiple edge orchestrators‌ cooperate under local or‌​‌ partial system view. Finally,​​ to achieve efficient online​​​‌ edge service orchestration, such‌ solutions will be empowered‌​‌ with reinforcement learning techniques​​ to define a suit​​​‌ of orchestration algorithms able‌ to at once adapt‌​‌ over time to the​​ applications' load and cope​​​‌ with the uncertain information‌ available from AI-based applications'‌​‌ footprints.
  • Publications in 2025:​​
    18, 23,​​​‌ 31, 36,‌ 47, 52,‌​‌ 53, 54,​​ 56, 58.​​​‌
Inria Challenge FedMalin

Participant:‌ Giovanni Neglia.

  • Project‌​‌ Acronym:
  • Project Title:​​
    FEDerated MAchine Learning over​​​‌ the INternet
  • Coordinator:
    Giovanni‌ Neglia and Aurélien Bellet‌​‌ (Premedical Inria team)​​
  • Duration:
    November 2022 -​​​‌ November 2026
  • Summary:

    In‌ many use-cases of Machine‌​‌ Learning (ML), data is​​ naturally decentralized: medical data​​​‌ is collected and stored‌ by different hospitals, crowdsensed‌​‌ data is generated by​​ personal devices, etc. Federated​​​‌ Learning (FL) has recently‌ emerged as a novel‌​‌ paradigm where a set​​ of entities with local​​​‌ datasets collaboratively train ML‌ models while keeping their‌​‌ data decentralized.

    FedMalin is​​ a research project that​​​‌ spans 10 Inria research‌ teams and aims to‌​‌ push FL research and​​ concrete use-cases through a​​​‌ multidisciplinary consortium involving expertise‌ in ML, distributed systems,‌​‌ privacy and security, networks,​​ and medicine. We propose​​​‌ to address a number‌ of challenges that arise‌​‌ when FL is deployed​​ over the Internet, including​​​‌ privacy and fairness, energy‌ consumption, personalization, and location/time‌​‌ dependencies. FedMalin will also​​ contribute to the development​​​‌ of open-source tools for‌ FL experimentation and real-world‌​‌ deployments, and use them​​ for concrete applications in​​​‌ medicine and crowdsensing. The‌ FedMalin Inria Challenge is‌​‌ supported by Groupe La​​ Poste, sponsor of the​​​‌ Inria Foundation.

  • Publications in‌ 2025:
DIAMOND​​​‌

Participants: Yaiza Bermudez,‌ Samir Medina Perlaza.‌​‌

  • Project Acronym:
    DIAMOND
  • Project​​ Title:
    Data-Injection Attacks in​​​‌ Supervised Machine Learning Systems‌
  • Funding Agency:
    Agence de‌​‌ l'Innovation de Défense (AID)​​
  • Principal Investigators:
    Samir Medina​​​‌ Perlaza and Iñaki Esnaola‌ (University of Sheffield)
  • Duration:‌​‌
    November 2024 - October​​ 2027
  • Summary:
    This project​​​‌ aims at studying the‌ impact on the generalization‌​‌ capabilities of federated learning​​ systems of data-injection attacks​​​‌ (DIA) in the context‌ of military applications. A‌​‌ DIA refers to any​​​‌ modification on the local​ training datasets aiming to​‌ tamper with the global​​ performance. The focus is​​​‌ on the special class​ of Stealth DIAs (S-DIA),​‌ which exhibit the lowest-probability​​ of detection. Before and​​​‌ after such attacks, training​ datasets exhibit empirical probabilities​‌ that are sufficiently close​​ in relative entropy, which​​​‌ makes the probability of​ attack detection arbitrarily close​‌ to zero. The project​​ funds the PhD scholarship​​​‌ of Yaiza Bermudez .​
  • Publications in 2025:

11 Dissemination

11.1​​​‌ Promoting scientific activities

11.1.1​ Scientific events: organization

Steering​‌ committee chair, steering committee​​ member
  • Eitan Altman is​​​‌
    • Member of the steering​ committee and founder of​‌ the "Workshop on Modeling​​ and Optimization in Mobile,​​​‌ Ad Hoc and Wireless​ Networks (WiOpt)";
    • Member of​‌ the steering committee and​​ co-founder of the "Workshop​​​‌ on Networking Games Control​ and Optimization (NetGcoop)";
    • Member​‌ of the steering committee​​ of the "International Conference​​​‌ on Performance Evaluation Methodologies​ and Tools (ValueTools)."
General​‌ chair, scientific chair
  • Sara​​ Alouf was General Co-Chair​​​‌ of the 36th Intl.​ Teletraffic Congress (ITC 36),​‌ held in Trondheim, Norway,​​ June 2-5, 2025.
  • Konstantin​​​‌ Avrachenkov was TPC Co-Chair​ and a member of​‌ the organizing committee of​​ the IFIP WG 7.3​​​‌ Performance 2025 – the​ 43rd International Symposium on​‌ Computer Performance, Modeling, Measurements​​ and Evaluation, held in​​​‌ Amsterdam, The Netherlands, November​ 11-13, 2025.
Member of​‌ the conference program committees​​
  • AAAI Conference on Artificial​​​‌ Intelligence (AAAI 2025), February​ 25-March 4, 2025, Philadelphia,​‌ Pennsylvania, USA (Samir​​ Medina Perlaza );
  • ACM​​​‌ SIGMETRICS 2025, Winter TPCs,​ June 9-13, 2025, Stony​‌ Brook, New York, USA​​ (Konstantin Avrachenkov );​​​‌
  • ACM SIGMETRICS 2026, Summer​ and Fall TPC, June​‌ 8-12, 2026, Ann Arbor,​​ Michigan, United States (​​​‌Sara Alouf , Konstantin​ Avrachenkov );
  • Annual Conference​‌ on Artificial Intelligence and​​ Statistics (AISTATS), May 2-5,​​​‌ 2026, Tangier, Morocco (​Samir Medina Perlaza ,​‌ Giovanni Neglia );
  • Conference​​ on Game Theory and​​​‌ AI for Security (GameSec​ 2025), October 13-15, 2025,​‌ Athens, Greece (Konstantin​​ Avrachenkov );
  • Conference on​​​‌ Uncertainty in Artificial Intelligence​ (UAI 2025), July 21-25,​‌ 2025, Brazil (Giovanni​​ Neglia —top reviewer, Konstantin​​​‌ Avrachenkov );
  • European Conference​ on Networks and Communications​‌ & 6G Summit (EuCNC​​ & 6G Summit 2025),​​​‌ June 3-6, 2025, Poznań,​ Poland (Samir Medina​‌ Perlaza );
  • European Wireless​​ 2025, October 27-29, 2025,​​​‌ Sophia-Antipolis, France (Samir​ Medina Perlaza );
  • France's​‌ International Conference on Complex​​ Systems (FRCCS 2025), May​​​‌ 21-23, 2025, Bordeaux, France,​ (Konstantin Avrachenkov ,​‌ Alain Jean-Marie );
  • IEEE​​ Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM​​​‌ 2025), December 8-12, 2025,​ Taipei, Taiwan (Samir​‌ Medina Perlaza );
  • IEEE​​ International Conference on Communications​​​‌ (ICC 2025), June 8-12,​ 2025, Montreal, Canada (​‌Samir Medina Perlaza );​​
  • IEEE International Conference on​​​‌ Communications, Control, and Computing​ Technologies for Smart Grids​‌ (SmartGridComm 2025), September 29-October​​ 2, 2025, Toronto, Canada​​​‌ (Samir Medina Perlaza​ );
  • IEEE International Conference​‌ on Communications in China​​ (ICCC 2025), August 10-13,​​​‌ 2025, Shanghai, China (​Samir Medina Perlaza );​‌
  • IEEE International Conference on​​ Computer Communications (INFOCOM 2026),​​ May 18-21, 2026, Tokyo,​​​‌ Japan (Sara Alouf‌ );
  • IEEE International Conference‌​‌ on Computing, Networking and​​ Communications (ICNC 2025), February​​​‌ 17-20, 2025, Honolulu, Hawaii,‌ USA (Samir Medina‌​‌ Perlaza );
  • IEEE International​​ Conference on Machine Learning​​​‌ for Communication and Networking‌ (ICMLCN 2025), May 26-29,‌​‌ 2025, Barcelona, Spain (​​Samir Medina Perlaza );​​​‌
  • IEEE International Symposium on‌ Information Theory (ISIT 2025),‌​‌ June 22–27, 2025, Ann​​ Arbor, Michigan, USA (​​​‌Samir Medina Perlaza );‌
  • IEEE Virtual Conference on‌​‌ Communications (VCC 2025), November​​ 4-6, 2025, Virtual Conference​​​‌ (Samir Medina Perlaza‌ );
  • IEEE Wireless Communications‌​‌ and Networking Conference (WCNC​​ 2025), March 24-27, 2025,​​​‌ Milan, Italy (Samir‌ Medina Perlaza );
  • International‌​‌ Conference on Complex Networks​​ and their Applications, December​​​‌ 9-11, 2025, Binghamton, US‌ (Konstantin Avrachenkov );‌​‌
  • International Conference on Distributed​​ Computing and Intelligent Technology​​​‌ (ICDCIT 2025), January 8-11,‌ 2025, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India‌​‌ (Samir Medina Perlaza​​ );
  • International Conference on​​​‌ Machine Learning (ICML), July‌ 13-19, 2025, Vancouver, Canada‌​‌ (Giovanni Neglia );​​
  • International Conference of Networks,​​​‌ Games, Control and Optimization‌ (NETGCOOP 2025), October 8-10,‌​‌ 2025, Bilbao, Spain (​​Khushboo Agarwal );
  • International​​​‌ Symposium on Computer Performance,‌ Modeling, Measurements and Evaluation‌​‌ (Performance 2025), November 11-13,​​ 2025, Amsterdam, The Netherlands​​​‌ (Sara Alouf ,‌ Khushboo Agarwal );
  • International‌​‌ Symposium on Modeling and​​ Optimization in Mobile, Ad​​​‌ hoc, and Wireless Networks‌ (WiOpt 2025), May 26-29,‌​‌ 2025, Linköping, Sweden (​​Konstantin Avrachenkov );
  • International​​​‌ Symposium on the Modeling,‌ Analysis, and Simulation of‌​‌ Computer and Telecommunication Systems​​ (MASCOTS 2025), October 21-23,​​​‌ 2025, Paris, France (‌Alain Jean-Marie );
  • International‌​‌ Teletraffic Congress (ITC 36),​​ 2-6 June 2025, Trondheim,​​​‌ Norway (Alain Jean-Marie‌ );
  • Pacific-Asia Conference on‌​‌ Knowledge Discovery and Data​​ Mining (PAKDD 2025), June​​​‌ 10-13, 2025, Sydney, Australia‌ (Konstantin Avrachenkov );‌​‌
  • SIAM Conference on Data​​ Mining (SDM 2025), May​​​‌ 1-3, 2025, Alexandria Virginia,‌ US (Konstantin Avrachenkov‌​‌ );
  • Workshop on MAthematical​​ performance Modeling and Analysis​​​‌ (MAMA 2025), June 13,‌ 2025, Stony Brook, New‌​‌ York United States (​​Alain Jean-Marie , Philippe​​​‌ Nain );
  • Workshop on‌ Modelling and Mining Networks‌​‌ (WAW 2025), June 30​​ - July 3, 2025,​​​‌ Vilnius, Lithuania (Konstantin‌ Avrachenkov );
  • Workshop on‌​‌ Smart Antennas (WSA 2025),​​ September 16-18, 2025, Erlangen,​​​‌ Germany (Samir Medina‌ Perlaza ).
Reviewer
  • IEEE‌​‌ International Conference on Computer​​ Communications (INFOCOM 2026), May​​​‌ 18-21, 2026, Tokyo, Japan‌ (Khushboo Agarwal );‌​‌
  • IEEE International Conference on​​ Machine Learning for Communication​​​‌ and Networking (ICMLCN 2025)‌ Guodong Sun ;
  • IEEE‌​‌ Wireless Communications and Networking​​ Conference (WCNC 2025) Guodong​​​‌ Sun ;
  • IEEE International‌ Conference on Communications (ICC‌​‌ 2025) Guodong Sun .​​
  • IEEE International Symposium on​​​‌ Information Theory (ISIT 2026),‌ June 28-July 3, 2026,‌​‌ Guangzhou, China (Khushboo​​ Agarwal );

11.1.2 Journal​​​‌

Member of the editorial‌ boards
  • ACM Transactions on‌​‌ Modeling and Performance Evaluation​​ of Computing Systems (ACM​​​‌ ToMPECS) (Konstantin Avrachenkov‌ , since 2016);
  • AIMS‌​‌ (American Institute of Mathematical​​ Sciences) Journal of Dynamics​​​‌ and Games (JDG) (‌Eitan Altman , since‌​‌ 2015);
  • Birkhauser Journal on​​​‌ Dynamic Games and Applications​ (DGAA) (Eitan Altman​‌ , since 2012);
  • CUP​​ Probability in the Engineering​​​‌ and Informational Sciences (​Konstantin Avrachenkov , since​‌ 2018);
  • Elsevier Computer Communications​​ (Sara Alouf ,​​​‌ since 2021; Giovanni Neglia​ , since 2014);
  • Elsevier​‌ Performance Evaluation (Konstantin​​ Avrachenkov , Philippe Nain​​​‌ , members of Advisory​ Board since 2018);
  • IEEE​‌ Transactions on Automatic Control​​ (Konstantin Avrachenkov ,​​​‌ since 2024);
  • IEEE Transactions​ on Networking (Sara​‌ Alouf , since 2024,​​ Eitan Altman , editor-at-large​​​‌ since 2013);
  • Polynesian Journal​ of Mathematics (Samir​‌ Medina Perlaza , since​​ 2024);
  • Proceedings of the​​​‌ ACM on Measurement and​ Analysis of Computing Systems​‌ (ACM POMACS), (Konstantin​​ Avrachenkov , member of​​​‌ Advisory Board since 2025);​
  • Springer Iran Journal of​‌ Computer Science (Eitan​​ Altman , advisory board​​​‌ member);
  • Taylor & Francis​ Stochastic Models (Konstantin​‌ Avrachenkov , since 2019).​​

Sara Alouf was the​​​‌ lead guest editor of​ a special issue of​‌ Performance Evaluation on extended​​ papers from the 35th​​​‌ International Teletraffic Congress 2023​ (see 2024's activity report).​‌ The preface has appeared​​ in 2025 48.​​​‌

Reviewer - reviewing activities​

NEO members regularly perform​‌ reviews for journals such​​ as Dynamic Games and​​​‌ Applications, IEEE Transactions on​ Networking, IEEE Transactions on​‌ Automatic Control, IEEE Transactions​​ on Information Theory, IEEE​​​‌ Transactions on Wireless Communications,​ IEEE Transactions on Communications,​‌ IEEE Transactions on Network​​ and Service Management, IEEE​​​‌ Transactions on Network Science​ and Engineering, Performance Evaluation,​‌ Elsevier Computer Communications, Elsevier​​ Computer Networks.

11.1.3 Invited​​​‌ talks

  • Konstantin Avrachenkov delivered​
    • a plenary talk “Accuracy​‌ and Efficiency of Semi-Supervised​​ Graph Clustering Methods” at​​​‌ the 20th Workshop on​ Modelling and Mining Networks​‌ (WAW 2025), June 30​​ - July 3, 2025,​​​‌ Vilnius, Lithuania;
    • an invited​ talk “Introduction to Graph​‌ Clustering” at Universidade Federal​​ do Rio de Janeiro,​​​‌ Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,​ December 8, 2025.
  • Louis​‌ Hauseux delivered
    • a seminar​​ "(Hyper-)graphs, percolation and clustering​​​‌ performances" at the Mathnet​/Dyogene Inria team​‌ at Inria-Paris center, March​​ 2025;
    • a seminar "Méthodes​​​‌ de clustering avec graphes.​ Ou « Comment hacker​‌ (H)DBSCAN ? » Théorie,​​ algorithmes & applications" at​​​‌ Valeo AI, Paris, November​ 2025.
  • Giovanni Neglia delivered​‌
    • an invited talk "Breaking​​ Privacy in Federated Learning:​​​‌ Advances in Attribute Inference​ and Data Reconstruction Attacks"​‌ at University of Palermo,​​ Italy, February 13, 2025;​​​‌
    • an invited talk "Federated​ Learning" at the Colloquium​‌ on Networks and Learning,​​ Universidade Federal do Rio​​​‌ de Janeiro, Rio de​ Janeiro, Brazil, October 23,​‌ 2025.
  • Samir Medina Perlaza​​ delivered
    • a seminar "Variations​​​‌ of the Expectation due​ to Changes in the​‌ Measure: Applications to Generalization​​ and Game Theory" in​​​‌ the series Cambridge Information​ Theory Seminar, Centre for​‌ Mathematical Sciences, University of​​ Cambridge, February 26, 2025;​​​‌
    • an invited talk "Generalization​ Error of Machine Learning​‌ Algorithms" at the Information​​ Theory and Tapas Workshop,​​​‌ Universidad Carlos III de​ Madrid, April 2-5, 2025.​‌

11.1.4 Leadership within the​​ scientific community

  • Eitan Altman​​​‌
    • is Fellow Member of​ IEEE;
    • is Member of​‌ WG 7.3 of IFIP​​ on Computer System Modeling;​​
    • is the elected Vice​​​‌ Chairman of WG 6.3‌ of IFIP on Performance‌​‌ of Communications Systems.
  • Konstantin​​ Avrachenkov is a member​​​‌ of Conseil Scientifique &‌ Pédagogique EUR DS4H Univ.‌​‌ Côte d'Azur.
  • Samir Medina​​ Perlaza
    • is a member​​​‌ of the Digital Presence‌ Committee of the IEEE‌​‌ Information Theory Society;
    • is​​ a workpackage leader of​​​‌ the PEPR - Réseaux‌ du Futur – A‌​‌ project funded by the​​ French National Agency for​​​‌ Research (ANR) via the‌ project n°ANR-22-PEFT-0010 of the‌​‌ France 2030 program;
    • is​​ the organizer of the​​​‌ PC9 Seminar on Wireless‌ Communications, a national online‌​‌ seminar part of the​​ PEPR – Réseaux du​​​‌ Futur.
  • Giovanni Neglia
    • holds‌ a Chair by the‌​‌ Interdisciplinary Institute for Artificial​​ Intelligence 3IA Côte d'Azur,​​​‌ in the theme "Core‌ Elements of AI."

11.1.5‌​‌ Research administration

  • Sara Alouf​​
    • is a member of​​​‌ the Colloquium Jacques Morgenstern‌ Committee of Inria center‌​‌ at Université Côte d'Azur,​​ since March 2023;
    • is​​​‌ a member of NICE,‌ the Invited Researchers Committee‌​‌ of Inria center at​​ Université Côte d'Azur, since​​​‌ June 2020;
    • is vice-head‌ of project-team Neo since‌​‌ January 2017;
    • is a​​ member of the Selection​​​‌ Committee of the dAIEGDE‌ European project.
  • Konstantin Avrachenkov‌​‌ is an alternate representative​​ (suppléant, collège A) on​​​‌ the Center Committee of‌ Inria center at Université‌​‌ Côte d'Azur.
  • Louis Hauseux​​ is
    • a representative (titulaire,​​​‌ collège C) on the‌ Center Committee of Inria‌​‌ center at Université Côte​​ d'Azur;
    • a representantive on​​​‌ the catering commission of‌ Inria center at Université‌​‌ Côte d'Azur.
  • Alain Jean-Marie​​
    • has been leader of​​​‌ project-team Neo from January‌ 2017 until March 2025.‌​‌
  • Samir Medina Perlaza
    • is​​ an alternate representative (suppléant,​​​‌ collège A) on the‌ Center Committee of Inria‌​‌ center at Université Côte​​ d'Azur;
    • is a Member​​​‌ of the Bureau of‌ the Réseaux, Information et‌​‌ Société Numérique Excellence Academy​​ of Université Côte d'Azur;​​​‌
    • represents Inria at the‌ Conseil du Département Disciplinaire‌​‌ Informatique of Université Côte​​ d'Azur.
  • Giovanni Neglia
    • was​​​‌ a member of the‌ competitive exam jury for‌​‌ a researcher position (CRCN/ISFP)​​ at Inria Lille in​​​‌ 2025 (but did not‌ participate to the interviews‌​‌ because of a conflict​​ of interest);
    • is an​​​‌ elected member of Inria‌ evaluation committee, since September‌​‌ 2023. In this role,​​ he also participated in​​​‌ a working group that‌ proposed a set of‌​‌ reflections, guidelines, and recommendations​​ on the responsible use​​​‌ of generative AI in‌ research professions. To ensure‌​‌ wider dissemination, the corresponding​​ document is available both​​​‌ in English 49 and‌ in French 50.‌​‌
    • is a member of​​ the steering commitee of​​​‌ Université Côte d’Azur Graduate‌ School of Digital Systems‌​‌ for Humans (DS4H) since​​ September 2022.
    • has been​​​‌ leader of project-team Neo‌ since April 2025.

11.2‌​‌ Teaching - Supervision -​​ Juries - Educational and​​​‌ pedagogical outreach

Master
  • Sara‌ Alouf , Alain Jean-Marie‌​‌ , "Performance Evaluation of​​ Networks," 24H, M2 Ubinet,​​​‌ Université Côte d’Azur, France.‌
  • Louis Hauseux , Konstantin‌​‌ Avrachenkov , "Statistical Analysis​​ of Networks," 21H, M2​​​‌ Data Science and Artificial‌ Intelligence, Université Côte d’Azur,‌​‌ France.
  • Louis Hauseux ,​​​‌ "Statistical Inference," 30H, M1​ Data Science and Artificial​‌ Intelligence, Université Côte d’Azur,​​ France.
  • Giovanni Neglia ,​​​‌ "Machine Learning: Theory and​ Algorithms," 24H, M2 Ubinet,​‌ Université Côte d’Azur, France.​​
  • Giovanni Neglia together with​​​‌ Francesco Diana and Chuan​ Xu (Coati Inria​‌ team) "Federated Learning &​​ Data Privacy," 24H, M2​​​‌ Data Science and Artificial​ Intelligence, Université Côte d’Azur,​‌ France.
  • Adrien Sardi "Optimisation​​ Différentiable: Théorie et Algorithmes,"​​​‌ 11H ETD, M1, ENSTA​ - IPP Paris, France.​‌
  • Xufeng Zhang , "Mathématiques​​ pour l'IA," 24H, Bac+5​​​‌ Formations expertes, CentraleDigitalLab @LaPlateforme_,​ Centrale Méditerranée, France.
  • Xufeng​‌ Zhang , "Machine Learning,"​​ 22H, Bac+5 Formations expertes,​​​‌ CentraleDigitalLab @LaPlateforme_, Centrale Méditerranée,​ France.

11.2.1 Supervision

PhD​‌ defended
  • José Francisco Daunas​​ Torres , "Empirical Risk​​​‌ Minimization with f-divergence Regularizations​ in Statistical Learning," Univ.​‌ of Sheffield, defended October​​ 29, 2025, advisors: Iñaki​​​‌ Esnaola and Samir Medina​ Perlaza .
PhD in​‌ progress
  • Yaiza Bermudez ,​​ "Data Integrity in Distributed​​​‌ Learning Systems," Université Côte​ d’Azur, since November 1,​‌ 2024, advisor: Samir Medina​​ Perlaza .
  • Gaspard Gerard​​​‌ Philippe Berthelier , "Federated​ Learning for time series​‌ in the energy domain,"​​ Université Côte d’Azur, Cifre​​​‌ thesis with EDF, since​ February 1, 2025, advisors:​‌ Giovanni Neglia and Samir​​ Medina Perlaza .
  • Ibtihal​​​‌ El Mimouni , "Automated​ and responsible recommendation systems​‌ for digital marketing," Université​​ Côte d’Azur, Cifre thesis​​​‌ with NSP SmartProfile, since​ October 1, 2022, advisor:​‌ Konstantin Avrachenkov .
  • Louis​​ Hauseux , "Classifiers on​​​‌ Random Graphs with applications​ to Social Networks and​‌ Image Processing," Université Côte​​ d’Azur, since October 1,​​​‌ 2023, advisors: Konstantin Avrachenkov​ and Josiane Zerubia (​‌Ayana Inria team).
  • Ahmad​​ Nasser , "Distributed training​​​‌ of heterogeneous architectures," Université​ Côte d’Azur, Cifre thesis​‌ with Nokia, since April​​ 1, 2024, advisor: Giovanni​​​‌ Neglia .
  • Isidoor Pinillo​ Esquivel , "Online Learning​‌ with Limited Resources," Université​​ Côte d’Azur, since September​​​‌ 1, 2025, advisors: Sara​ Alouf and Giovanni Neglia​‌ .
  • Julian Alfonso Santos​​ Bustos , "Modélisation analytique​​​‌ de réseaux sans fils​ grande échelle intégrant les​‌ RIS - Optimisation de​​ l'allocation dynamique des ressources,"​​​‌ Université Côte d’Azur, Cifre​ thesis with Orange, since​‌ September 1, 2023, advisors:​​ Eitan Altman and Konstantin​​​‌ Avrachenkov .
  • Adrien Sardi​ , "Generative artificial intelligence​‌ models and resource energy​​ management in 6G distributed​​​‌ networks," Université Côte d’Azur,​ Cifre thesis with Nokia,​‌ since January 1, 2025,​​ advisors: Sara Alouf ,​​​‌ Frederic Giroire (Coati​ Inria team), Joanna Moulierac​‌ (Coati Inria team).​​
  • Kyrylo Tymchenko , "Enhancing​​​‌ Large-Scale Distributed Caching Systems​ with Erasure Coding," Université​‌ Côte d’Azur, since October​​ 1, 2025, advisors: Sara​​​‌ Alouf and Frederic Giroire​ (Coati Inria team).​‌
  • Jingye Wang , "Robust​​ Federated Learning," Université Côte​​​‌ d’Azur, since September 1,​ 2025, advisors: Sara Alouf​‌ , Giovanni Neglia ,​​ Chuan Xu (Coati​​​‌ Inria team).
  • Xufeng Zhang​ , "Incentives for Federated​‌ Learning," Université Côte d’Azur,​​ since December 1, 2023,​​​‌ advisors: Giovanni Neglia and​ Sara Alouf .
  • Xinying​‌ Zou , "Generalization Capabilities​​ of Machine Learning Algorithms,"​​​‌ Université Côte d’Azur, since​ December 1, 2022, advisors:​‌ Eitan Altman and Samir​​ Medina Perlaza .

11.2.2​​ Juries

PhD
  • Mustapha Bounoua,​​​‌ "Harnessing Multimodality : Diffusion‌ based Generative Modeling and‌​‌ Information Estimation," Sorbonne université,​​ July 11, 2025 (​​​‌Giovanni Neglia , jury‌ member).
  • Romain Chor, "Distributed‌​‌ and Federated Learning Systems:​​ Information-Theoretic Generalization Bounds and​​​‌ Algorithms," Université Gustave Eiffel,‌ September 11, 2025 (‌​‌Giovanni Neglia , reviewer).​​
  • Reiza Deylam Salehi, "Fundamental​​​‌ Limits of Distributed Non-Linear‌ Function Computation in Several‌​‌ Multi-User Network Models," Sorbonne​​ Université, December 5, 2025​​​‌ (Giovanni Neglia ,‌ jury member).
  • Yicheng Gao,‌​‌ "Stochastic Performance Modeling of​​ Distributed Data Processing Systems,"​​​‌ Imperial College London, February‌ 19, 2025 (Sara‌​‌ Alouf , reviewer).
  • Soumyajit​​ Guin, "Algorithms for Various​​​‌ Cost Criteria in Reinforcement‌ Learning," Indian Institute of‌​‌ Science Bangalore, April 16,​​ 2025 (Konstantin Avrachenkov​​​‌ , reviewer).
  • Jun Ju,‌ "Reinforcement Learning for Partially‌​‌ Observable Environments," University of​​ Queensland, April 28, 2025​​​‌ (Konstantin Avrachenkov ,‌ reviewer).
  • Lukas Stippel, "Privacy‌​‌ and confidentiality preserving data​​ sharing methods for the​​​‌ optimization of multi-actor energy‌ systems," Université Paris sciences‌​‌ et lettres, December 12,​​ 2025 (Giovanni Neglia​​​‌ , jury member).
  • Lucas‌ Weber, "Exploiting Partial System‌​‌ Knowledge in Reinforcement Learning​​ for Admission Control and​​​‌ Electricity Storage Optimization," Université‌ Paris sciences et lettres,‌​‌ January 17, 2025 (​​Giovanni Neglia , reviewer,​​​‌ Alain Jean-Marie , jury‌ president).
  • Lotte Weedage, "Resilience‌​‌ of Cellular Networks," Twente​​ University, January 17, 2025​​​‌ (Konstantin Avrachenkov ,‌ reviewer).

12 Scientific production‌​‌

12.1 Major publications

  • 1​​ articleK.Konstantin Avrachenkov​​​‌, A.Andrei Bobu‌ and M.Maximilien Dreveton‌​‌. Higher-Order Spectral Clustering​​ for Geometric Graphs.​​​‌Journal of Fourier Analysis‌ and Applications27March‌​‌ 2021HALDOI
  • 2​​ articleK. E.Konstantin​​​‌ E Avrachenkov and V.‌Vivek Borkar. Whittle‌​‌ index based Q-learning for​​ restless bandits with average​​​‌ reward.Automatica139‌May 2022, 110186‌​‌HALDOI
  • 3 book​​K.Konstantin Avrachenkov and​​​‌ M.Maximilien Dreveton.‌ Statistical Analysis of Networks‌​‌.Now PublishersOctober​​ 2022HALDOI
  • 4​​​‌ articleY.Younes Ben‌ Mazziane, S.Sara‌​‌ Alouf, G.Giovanni​​ Neglia and D. S.​​​‌Daniel S. Menasche.‌ TTL model for an‌​‌ LRU-based similarity caching policy​​.Computer Networks241​​​‌March 2024, 110206‌HALDOI
  • 5 article‌​‌V.Víctor Bucarey López​​, E.Eugenio Della​​​‌ Vecchia, A.Alain‌ Jean-Marie and F.Fernando‌​‌ Ordoñez. Stationary Strong​​ Stackelberg Equilibrium in Discounted​​​‌ Stochastic Games.IEEE‌ Transactions on Automatic Control‌​‌6892023,​​ 5271 - 5286HAL​​​‌DOI
  • 6 articleM.‌Mandar Datar, E.‌​‌Eitan Altman and H.​​Hélène Le Cadre.​​​‌ Strategic Resource Pricing and‌ Allocation in a 5G‌​‌ Network Slicing Stackelberg Game​​.IEEE Transactions on​​​‌ Network and Service Management‌2012023,‌​‌ 502-520HALDOI
  • 7​​ inproceedingsV.Veeraruna Kavitha​​​‌ and E.Eitan Altman‌. Controlling Packet Drops‌​‌ to Improve Freshness of​​ information.Netgcoop 2020​​​‌ - International Conference on‌ NETwork Games, Control and‌​‌ OptimisationCargese, FranceSeptember​​ 2021HALDOI
  • 8​​​‌ inproceedingsO.Othmane Marfoq‌, G.Giovanni Neglia‌​‌, A.Aurélien Bellet​​​‌, L.Laetitia Kameni​ and R.Richard Vidal​‌. Federated Multi-Task Learning​​ under a Mixture of​​​‌ Distributions.NeurIPS 2021​ - 35th Conference on​‌ Neural Information Processing Systems​​Sydney / Virtual, Australia​​​‌December 2021HAL
  • 9​ articleS. M.Samir​‌ M Perlaza, G.​​Gaetan Bisson, I.​​​‌Iñaki Esnaola, A.​Alain Jean-Marie and S.​‌Stefano Rini. Empirical​​ Risk Minimization with Relative​​​‌ Entropy Regularization.IEEE​ Transactions on Information Theory​‌7072024,​​ 5122-5161HALDOI
  • 10​​​‌ articleT.Tareq Si​ Salem, G.Giovanni​‌ Neglia and S.Stratis​​ Ioannidis. No-regret Caching​​​‌ via Online Mirror Descent​.ACM Transactions on​‌ Modeling and Performance Evaluation​​ of Computing Systems8​​​‌4August 2023,​ 1-32HALDOI
  • 11​‌ bookA.Ali Tajer​​, S. M.Samir​​​‌ M. Perlaza and H.​Harold Vincent Poor,​‌ eds. Advanced Data Analytics​​ for Power Systems.​​​‌Cambridge University PressJanuary​ 2021HALDOI
  • 12​‌ articleG.Gayane Vardoyan​​, P.Philippe Nain​​​‌, S.Saikat Guha​ and D.Don Towsley​‌. On the Capacity​​ Region of Bipartite and​​​‌ Tripartite Entanglement Switching.​ACM Transactions on Modeling​‌ and Performance Evaluation of​​ Computing Systems81-2​​​‌June 2023, 1-18​HALDOI

12.2 Publications​‌ of the year

International​​ journals

International peer-reviewed conferences‌​‌

Conferences without proceedings

Edition (books, proceedings, special​ issue of a journal)​‌

  • 48 periodicalS.Sara​​ Alouf, O.Oliver​​​‌ Hohlfeld and Z.Zhiyuan​ Jiang, eds. Preface:​‌ Special issue on ITC​​ 2023.Performance Evaluation​​​‌167March 2025,​ 102462HALDOIback​‌ to text

Reports &​​ preprints

Other scientific publications‌​‌

  • 59 miscH.Hélène​​ Le Cadre, M.​​​‌Mandar Datar, M.‌Mathis Guckert and E.‌​‌Eitan Altman. Supplementary​​ Material to "Learning Market​​​‌ Equilibria Preserving Statistical Privacy‌ Using Performative Prediction".‌​‌April 2025HALback​​ to text

12.3 Cited​​​‌ publications

  • 60 incollectionM.‌Mabel Tidball, A.‌​‌Alain Jean-Marie and T.​​Tania Jiménez. Theory​​​‌ of Conjectural Learning.‌Advances in Dynamic Games:‌​‌ Theory, Experiments, and Applications​​Annals of the International​​​‌ Society of Dynamic Games‌In pressSpringer Nature‌​‌ Switzerland AG2026back​​ to text
  1. 1Both​​​‌ authors were members of‌ the Neo team. Since‌​‌ most of the research​​ was carried out while​​​‌ Younes Ben Mazziane was‌ still a team member,‌​‌ he also listed his​​ Neo affiliation.