Weight Optimization in Artificial Neural Network Training by Improved Monarch Butterfly Algorithm

Artificial neural networks, especially deep neural networks, are the promising and current research domain as they showed great potential in classification and regression tasks. The process of training artificial neural network (weight optimization), as an NP-hard challenge, is typically performed by back-propagation algorithms such as stochastic gradient descent. However, these types of algorithms are susceptible to trapping the local optimum. Recent studies show that, the metaheuristics-based approaches like swarm intelligence can be efficiently utilized in training the artificial neural network. This paper presents an improved version of swarm intelligence and monarch butterfly optimization algorithm for training the feed-forward artificial neural network. Since the basic monarch butterfly optimization suffers from some deficiencies, improved implementation, that enhances exploration ability and intensification–diversification balance, is devised. Proposed method is validated against 8 well-known classification datasets and compared to similar approaches that were tested within the same environment and simulation setup. Obtained results indicate that, the method proposed in this work outperforms other state-of-the-art algorithms that are shown in the recent outstanding computer science literature.