Polynomial-time clustering threshold for Gaussian mixtures

Let nn, dd, and KK be positive integers with dKd\geq K, and let Δ\Delta_* denote the separation parameter for the Gaussian-mixture clustering model. Write alogba\gtrsim_{\log} b when aa is at least bb up to polylogarithmic factors. Polynomial-time clustering conjecture. For any nn, dd, and KK such that dKd\geq K, it is possible to reconstruct the partition in polynomial time as long as

Δ2log[1+(dK2n+Kn1/4)d].\Delta_*^2 \gtrsim_{\log} \left[1 + \left( \sqrt{\frac{dK^2}{n}}+ \frac{K}{n^{1/4}} \right) \wedge \sqrt{d} \right].

Together with the paper's low-degree lower bound and the lower bounds of Even (2025), this would identify the computational threshold up to polylogarithmic factors for the stated range of dimensions. The paper proves a matching upper bound only for specific instances, so the general assertion remains open.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Alexandra Carpentier and Nicolas Verzelen, “Low-degree Lower bounds for clustering in moderate dimension”, arXiv:2602.23023 (2026).

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