Region constrained regularized adversarial examples for model interpretability

Abstract

Embodiments may exclude portions of input data in order to improve the accuracy and explanatory quality of the output of machine learning models by disregarding parts of the input during the optimization process by masking them during backpropagation. For example, in an embodiment, a method may be implemented in a computer system comprising a processor, memory accessible by the processor, and computer program instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the method may comprise receiving, at the computer system, input data and a machine learning model to generate a prediction based on the input data, generating, at the computer system, a mask indicating portions of the input data to be disregarded during backpropagation of the machine learning model, and modifying, at the computer system, the generated mask to improve the prediction of the machine learning model.