{"slug": "an-introduction-to-compression-based-machine-learning", "title": "An Introduction to Compression-Based Machine Learning", "summary": "A new arXiv paper (2609.21309v1) surveys and formalizes strategies for using lossless compression algorithms such as gzip as machine learning methods, via Normalized Compression Distance or the Minimum Description Length principle, and for converting auto-regressive models into lossless compressors through entropy coding. The authors introduce and empirically validate a design framework for compression-based ML, reporting that compression-based methods are competitive with conventional baselines and decisively stronger on malware, with varying the design choices yielding accuracy gains of up to 0.62.", "body_md": "arXiv:2609.21309v1 Announce Type: new \nAbstract: Any lossless compression algorithm (like gzip) may be converted into a machine learning method, via either Normalized Compression Distance or the Minimum Description Length principle. Any auto-regressive model may be converted into a lossless compression method via entropy coding. This seemingly circular dependence has unrealized potential in modern artificial intelligence and machine learning, and we survey and formalize the various strategies that have been used to leverage compression for machine learning. We introduce and empirically validate a design framework for compression-based ML, finding compression-based methods competitive with conventional baselines and decisively stronger on malware. We find that varying these design choices yields accuracy gains of up to 0.62.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/an-introduction-to-compression-based-machine-learning", "canonical_source": "https://www.machinebrief.com/news/an-introduction-to-compression-based-machine-learning-wui3", "published_at": "2026-09-21 04:00:00+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-09-21 04:25:13.303557+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["machine-learning", "ai-research", "artificial-intelligence"], "entities": ["arXiv", "Normalized Compression Distance", "Minimum Description Length", "gzip"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/an-introduction-to-compression-based-machine-learning", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/an-introduction-to-compression-based-machine-learning.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/an-introduction-to-compression-based-machine-learning.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/an-introduction-to-compression-based-machine-learning.jsonld"}}