We survey the area of algebraic complexity theory; with the focus being on the problem of polynomial identity testing (PIT). We discuss the key ideas that have gone into the results of the last few years.

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Motivated by the fundamental lower bounds questions in proof complexity, we investigate the complexity of generating identities of matrix rings, and related problems. Specifically, for a field $\mathbb{F}$ let $A$ be a non-commutative (associative) $\mathbb{F}$-algebra (e.g., the algebra Mat$_d(\mathbb{F})\;$ of $d\times d$ matrices over $\mathbb{F}$). We say that a non-commutative ... more >>>

We present a general approach to rounding semidefinite programming relaxations obtained by the Sum-of-Squares method (Lasserre hierarchy). Our approach is based on using the connection between these relaxations and the Sum-of-Squares proof system to transform a *combining algorithm* -- an algorithm that maps a distribution over solutions into a (possibly ... more >>>