Your Ridge Parameter Is PageRank's Damping Factor (and Why BLAS Beats GPU for Mid-Sized KRR)

The ridge parameter λ in kernel regression and the damping factor d in PageRank are the same object. Both create a spectral gap. Both stabilize an otherwise-unstable iteration. Once you see it, four unrelated-looking algorithms collapse into one story. This post is a condensed, math-first write-up of two longer pieces on ki-mathias.de: Eigenvalues & AI — the unification story, with interactive eigendecomposition demos. KRR Chat: Under the Hood — a 3 MB browser chatbot trained with kernel rid