. We survey some of the central results in the complexity theory of discrete neural networks, with pointers to the literature. Our main emphasis is on the computational power of various acyclic and cyclic network models, but we also discuss briefly the complexity aspects of synthesizing networks from examples of their behavior. CR Classification: F.1.1 [Computation by Abstract Devices]: Models of Computation---neural networks, circuits; F.1.3 [Computation by Abstract Devices ]: Complexity Classes---complexity hierarchies Key words: Neural networks, computational complexity, threshold circuits, associative memory 1. Introduction The currently again very active field of computation by "neural" networks has opened up a wealth of fascinating research topics in the computational complexity analysis of the models considered. While much of the general appeal of the field stems not so much from new computational possibilities, but from the possibility of "learning", or synthesizing networks...

We present simulation mechanisms by which any network of threshold logic units with either symmetric or asymmetric interunit connections (i.e., a symmetric or asymmetric "Hopfield net") can be simulated on a network of the same type, but without any a priori constraints on the order of updates of the units. Together with earlier constructions, the results show that the truly asynchronous network model is computationally equivalent to the seemingly more powerful models with either ordered sequential or fully parallel updates.

We survey some aspects of the computational complexity theory of discrete-time and discrete-state Hopfield networks. The emphasis is on topics that are not adequately covered by the existing survey literature, most significantly: 1. the known upper and lower bounds for the convergence times of Hopfield nets (here we consider mainly worst-case results); 2. the power of Hopfield nets as general computing devices (as opposed to their applications to associative memory and optimization); 3. the complexity of the synthesis ("learning") and analysis problems related to Hopfield nets as associative memories. Draft chapter for the forthcoming book The Computational and Learning Complexity of Neural Networks: Advanced Topics (ed. Ian Parberry).

. We survey some of the central results in the complexity theory of discrete neural networks, with pointers to the literature. 1 Introduction The recently revived field of computation by "neural" networks provides the complexity theorist with a wealth of fascinating research topics. While much of the general appeal of the field stems not so much from new computational possibilities, but from the possibility of "learning", or synthesizing networks directly from examples of their desired input-output behavior, it is nevertheless important to pay attention also to the complexity issues: firstly, what kinds of functions are computable by networks of a given type and size, and secondly, what is the complexity of the synthesis problems considered. In fact, inattention to these issues was a significant factor in the demise of the first stage of neural networks research in the late 60's, under the criticism of Minsky and Papert [51]. The intent of this paper is to survey some of the centra...

INTRODUCTION The two main streams of neural networks research consider neural networks either as a powerful family of nonlinear statistical models, to be used in for example pattern recognition applications [6], or as formal models to help develop a computational understanding of the brain [10]. Historically, the brain theory interest was primary [32], but with the advances in computer technology, the application potential of the statistical modeling techniques has shifted the balance. 1 The study of neural networks as general computational devices does not strictly follow this division of interests: rather, it provides a general framework outlining the limitations and possibilities aecting both research domains. The prime historic example here is obviously Minsky's and Papert's 1969 study of the computational limitations of singlelayer perceptrons [34], which was a major inuence in turning away interest from neural network learning to symbolic AI techniques for more

We prove that polynomial size discrete Hopfield networks with hidden units compute exactly the class of Boolean functions PSPACE/poly, i.e., the same functions as are computed by polynomial space-bounded nonuniform Turing machines. As a corollary to the construction, we observe also that networks with polynomially bounded interconnection weights compute exactly the class of functions P/poly, i.e., the class computed by polynomial time-bounded nonuniform Turing machines.

. We prove that polynomial size discrete synchronous Hopfield networks with hidden units compute exactly the class of Boolean functions PSPACE/poly, i.e., the same functions as are computed by polynomial space-bounded nonuniform Turing machines. As a corollary to the construction, we observe also that networks with polynomially bounded interconnection weights compute exactly the class of functions P/poly. 1 Background Recurrent, or cyclic, neural networks are an intriguing model of massively parallel computation. In the recent surge of research in neural computation, such networks have been considered mostly from the point of view of two types of applications: pattern classification and associative memory (e.g. [16, 18, 21, 24]), and combinatorial optimization (e.g. [1, 7, 20]). Nevertheless, recurrent networks are capable also of more general types of computation, and issues of what exactly such networks can compute, and how they should be programmed, are becoming increasingly topica...

We investigate the computational power of continuous-time symmetric Hopfield nets. As is well known, such networks have very constrained, Liapunov-function controlled dynamics. Nevertheless, we show that they are universal and efficient computational devices, in the sense that any convergent fully parallel computation by a network of n discrete-time binary neurons, with in general asymmetric interconnections, can be simulated by a symmetric continuous-time Hopfield net containing only 14n + 6 units using the saturated-linear sigmoid activation function. In terms of standard discrete computation models this result implies that any polynomially space-bounded Turing machine can be simulated by a polynomially size-increasing sequence of continuous-time Hopfield nets.

We establish a fundamental result in the theory of computation by continuous-time dynamical systems, by showing that systems corresponding to so called continuous-time symmetric Hopfield nets are capable of general computation. As is well known, such networks have very constrained, Liapunov-function controlled dynamics. Nevertheless, we show that they are universal and efficient computational devices, in the sense that any convergent synchronous fully parallel computation by a recurrent network of n discrete-time binary neurons, with in general asymmetric coupling weights, can be simulated by a symmetric continuous-time Hopfield net containing only 18n+7 units employing the saturated-linear activation function. Moreover, if the asymmetric network has maximum integer weight size w_max and converges in discrete time t*, then the corresponding Hopfield net can be designed to operate in continuous time Θ(t*/ε), for any ε > 0...

We survey and summarize the existing literature on the computational aspects of neural network models, by presenting a detailed taxonomy of the various models according to their complexity theoretic characteristics. The criteria of classi cation include e.g. the architecture of the network (feedforward vs. recurrent), time model (discrete vs. continuous), state type (binary vs. analog), weight constraints (symmetric vs. asymmetric), network size ( nite nets vs. in - nite families), computation type (deterministic vs. probabilistic), etc.