POPL 2026
Sun 11 - Sat 17 January 2026 Rennes, France
Sun 11 Jan 2026 16:12 - 16:22 at Salle 13 - Fourth Session Chair(s): Guillaume Baudart

Probabilistic programming languages (PPLs) provide a principled framework for expressing Bayesian models and automating inference, yet writing correct programs remains challenging. Large language models (LLMs) can accelerate this process by drafting candidate programs, but their outputs frequently fail due to semantic and syntactic errors. We introduce RefineStat, a framework for reliable probabilistic program synthesis in PyMC using compact, open-weight models. By enforcing statistical semantics during generation and applying targeted refinements guided by Bayesian diagnostics, RefineStat produces programs that are both syntactically sound and statistically reliable. Across different datasets and multiple small open source models, RefineStat consistently improves run rate, convergence behavior, and predictive stability compared to unconstrained or syntax-only baselines, while remaining cost-efficient.

Sun 11 Jan

Displayed time zone: Brussels, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris change

16:00 - 18:00
Fourth SessionLAFI at Salle 13
Chair(s): Guillaume Baudart Inria
16:00
10m
Talk
Multi-Agent Systems for Traceable Bayesian Workflow
LAFI
Xianda Sun University of Cambridge, Andrew D. Gordon Cogna and University of Edinburgh, Hong Ge University of Cambridge
File Attached
16:12
10m
Talk
Grammar-Constrained LLM Generation for Reliable and Efficient Probabilistic Program Synthesis
LAFI
Madhav Kanda University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Shubham Ugare Meta, Sasa Misailovic University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
16:24
10m
Talk
Language-Model Probabilistic Programming for Improving Autoformalization via Cycle Consistency and Incremental Type-Checking
LAFI
Mauricio Barba da Costa MIT, Fabian Zaiser MIT, Katherine Collins MIT, Romir Patel MIT, Timothy O'Donnell , Alexander K. Lew Yale University, Joshua B. Tenenbaum Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Vikash K. Mansinghka Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cameron Freer Massachusetts Institute of Technology
16:35
80m
Poster
Poster Session
LAFI