The exponential classification risk for the training sample is . At the start of round , define
Thus the observation weights arise directly from each point's current exponential loss. For a candidate base classifier and coefficient ,
where is its error under . For a fixed the bracket is increasing in , so the appropriate base fit minimizes weighted classification error. With fixed, differentiation gives
The second derivative is positive, hence the exponential-loss derivation of AdaBoost yields
The normalizer is . Consequently the next normalized weights again satisfy , proving the update by induction from uniform initial weights. The factor by which an error gains weight relative to a correct observation is .
This calculation also explains why repeated weak fits can improve training performance. Since the initial mean exponential loss is one, its value after rounds is . A misclassified point has and hence exponential loss at least one, giving the AdaBoost training error bound
The last inequality uses . This is a training guarantee under positive edges, not a guarantee that further rounds always improve prediction on new observations.
Weak learner 2026-10-14
For weighted binary data, a weak learner supplies a classifier whose weighted error is below one half. A uniform edge for every weighting permits a quantitative AdaBoost training error bound. This training-weight condition is a separate assumption from merely having error below one half on the initial unweighted sample.