Multi-Objective Bayesian Optimization via Adaptive \varepsilon-Constraints Decomposition

arXiv cs.LG / 4/20/2026

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Key Points

  • The paper introduces STAGE-BO, a multi-objective Bayesian optimization method designed to improve coverage of the Pareto front for expensive black-box problems.
  • STAGE-BO analyzes the geometric coverage of an approximate Pareto front to find the largest “gaps,” then uses those gaps to set constraints and decompose the task into a sequence of easier constrained subproblems.
  • The method solves each subproblem efficiently using constrained expected improvement as the acquisition strategy, avoiding the need for explicit hypervolume computation.
  • The approach is presented as naturally compatible with constrained optimization and preference-based settings, addressing limitations of many existing MOBO methods.
  • Experiments on both synthetic and real-world benchmarks report better Pareto coverage and competitive hypervolume performance versus state-of-the-art baselines.

Abstract

Multi-objective Bayesian optimization (MOBO) provides a principled framework for optimizing expensive black-box functions with multiple objectives. However, existing MOBO methods often struggle with coverage, scalability with respect to the number of objectives, and integrating constraints and preferences. In this work, we propose \textit{STAGE-BO, Sequential Targeting Adaptive Gap-Filling \varepsilon-Constraint Bayesian Optimization}, that explicitly targets under-explored regions of the Pareto front. By analyzing the coverage of the approximate Pareto front, our method identifies the largest geometric gaps. These gaps are then used as constraints, which transforms the problem into a sequence of inequality-constrained subproblems, efficiently solved via constrained expected improvement acquisition. Our approach provides a uniform Pareto coverage without hypervolume computation and naturally applies to constrained and preference-based settings. Experiments on synthetic and real-world benchmarks demonstrate superior coverage and competitive hypervolume performance against state-of-the-art baselines.