Using methods of statistical physics, we investigate the role of model complexity in learning with support vector machines (SVMs), which are an important alternative to neural networks. We show the advantages of using SVMs with kernels of infinite complexity on noisy target rules, which, in contrast to common theoretical beliefs, are found to achieve optimal generalization error although the training error does not converge to the generalization error. Moreover, we find a universal asymptotics of the learning curves which depend only on the target rule but not on the SVM kernel.

• Received 12 February 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.86.4410