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Adversarial Estimation of Riesz Representers

Victor Chernozhukov, Whitney Newey, Rahul Singh, Vasilis Syrgkanis

arXiv 30 Dec 2020 · Econometrics · publishedJournal of the American Statistical Association (2025) · 5 citations (OpenAlex)

arXiv:2101.00009 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

Many causal parameters are linear functionals of an underlying regression. The Riesz representer is a key component in the asymptotic variance of a semiparametrically estimated linear functional. We propose an adversarial framework to estimate the Riesz representer using general function spaces. We prove a nonasymptotic mean square rate in terms of an abstract quantity called the critical radius, then specialize it for neural networks, random forests, and reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces as leading cases. Our estimators are highly compatible with targeted and debiased machine learning with sample splitting; our guarantees directly verify general conditions for inference that allow mis-specification. We also use our guarantees to prove inference without sample splitting, based on stability or complexity. Our estimators achieve nominal coverage in highly nonlinear simulations where some previous methods break down. They shed new light on the heterogeneous effects of matching grants.

Citation extraction

105
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in-text mentions
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distinct cited
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Most heavily cited references

The works this paper leans on most, across its whole bibliography — not restricted to papers in our corpus. Ranked by composite intensity, which combines how often a work is mentioned, how many sections mention it, and how much of that falls in the main text rather than the appendix.

ReferenceIntensityMentionsSectionsMain text
1Karlan, D. and List, J. A (2007) Does price matter in charitable giving? evidence from a large-scale natural field experiment0.9619389%
2Wainwright, M. J (2019) High-dimensional statistics: A non-asymptotic viewpoint, volume 480.9285380%
3Hirshberg, D. A. and Wager, S (2021) Augmented minimax linear estimation0.8435460%
4Dikkala, N., Lewis, G., Mackey, L., and Syrgkanis, V (2020) Minimax estimation of conditional moment models self0.7639444%
5Shalev-Shwartz, S. and Ben-David, S (2014) Understanding machine learning: From theory to algorithms0.7375340%
6Chernozhukov, V., Newey, W. K., and Singh, R (2022) Automatic debiased machine learning of causal and structural effects self0.7374450%
7Chernozhukov, V., Newey, W. K., and Singh, R (2022) De-biased machine learning of global and local parameters using regularized Riesz representers self0.7374350%
8Foster, D. J. and Syrgkanis, V (2023) Orthogonal statistical learning self0.7374350%
9Chernozhukov, V., Chetverikov, D., Demirer, M., Duflo, E., Hansen, C… (2018) Double/debiased machine learning for treatment and structural parameters self0.73732100%
10Zheng, W. and van der Laan, M. J (2011) Cross-validated targeted minimum-loss-based estimation0.73732100%

Showing the top 10 of 105 scored citations.

Cited by, within the corpus

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Citing paperIntensityMentionsSections
1Kernel Ridge Riesz Representers: Generalization, Mis-specification, and the Counterfactual Effective Dimension0.965105
2Debiased Machine Learning without Sample-Splitting for Stable Estimators0.87452
3Inference on Optimal Dynamic Policies via Softmax Approximation0.73754
4Long Story Short: Omitted Variable Bias in Causal Machine Learning0.73732
5Inference on Strongly Identified Functionals of Weakly Identified Functions0.73732
6Program Evaluation with Remotely Sensed Outcomes0.51132
7Design-Based Inference under Random Potential Outcomes0.51122
8Deep Learning for Individual Heterogeneity0.40511
9Finding Subgroups with Significant Treatment Effects0.40511
10A Simple and General Debiased Machine Learning Theorem with Finite Sample Guarantees0.40511