Sample completion, structured correlation, and Netflix problems

Leonardo N. Coregliano; Maryanthe Malliaris

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arXiv · 2509.20404

Sample completion, structured correlation, and Netflix problems

Leonardo N. Coregliano·Maryanthe Malliaris

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Abstract

We develop a new high-dimensional statistical learning model which can take advantage of structured correlation in data even in the presence of randomness. We completely characterize learnability in this model in terms of VCN${}_{k,k}$-dimension (essentially $k$-dependence from Shelah's classification theory). This model suggests a theoretical explanation for the success of certain algorithms in the 2006~Netflix Prize competition.

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Leonardo N. Coregliano, Maryanthe Malliaris. 2025-09-23. Sample completion, structured correlation, and Netflix problems. https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.20404

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