We show that if Arthur-Merlin protocols can be derandomized, then there is a Boolean function computable in deterministic exponential-time with access to an NP oracle, that cannot be computed by Boolean circuits of exponential size. More formally, if $\mathrm{prAM}\subseteq \mathrm{P}^{\mathrm{NP}}$ then there is a Boolean function in $\mathrm{E}^{\mathrm{NP}}$ that requires ... more >>>

Goos, Pitassi and Watson (ITCS, 2015) have recently introduced the notion of Zero-Information Arthur-Merlin Protocols (ZAM). In this model, which can be viewed as a private version of the standard Arthur-Merlin communication complexity game, Alice and Bob are holding a pair of inputs $x$ and $y$ respectively, and Merlin, the ... more >>>

In the seminal work of \cite{Babai85}, Babai have introduced \emph{Arthur-Merlin Protocols} and in particular the complexity classes $MA$ and $AM$ as randomized extensions of the class $NP$. While it is easy to see that $NP \subseteq MA \subseteq AM$, it has been a long standing open question whether these classes ... more >>>

A fundamental question in computational complexity asks whether probabilistic polynomial-time algorithms can be simulated deterministically with a small overhead in time (the BPP vs. P problem). A corresponding question in the realm of interactive proofs asks whether Arthur-Merlin protocols can be simulated nondeterministically with a small overhead in time (the ... more >>>