Transformer-Squared: Self-adaptive LLMs

Published: 22 Jan 2025, Last Modified: 11 Feb 2025ICLR 2025 PosterEveryoneRevisionsBibTeXCC BY 4.0
Keywords: Transformers, Self-Adaptation, Fine-tuning, Dynamic System, LLMs
TL;DR: We propose Transformer-Squared, a new framework that dynamically adapts the weights of LLMs based on test time conditions
Abstract: Self-adaptive large language models (LLMs) aim to solve the challenges posed by traditional fine-tuning methods, which are often computationally intensive and static in their ability to handle diverse tasks. We introduce Transformer-Squared, a novel self-adaptation framework that adapts LLMs for unseen tasks in real-time by selectively adjusting only the singular components of their weight matrices. During inference, Transformer-Squared employs a two-pass mechanism: first, a dispatch system identifies the task properties, and then task-specific 'expert' vectors, trained using reinforcement learning, are dynamically mixed to obtain targeted behavior for the incoming prompt. Our method consistently outperforms ubiquitous approaches such as LoRA, with fewer parameters and greater efficiency. Furthermore, Transformer-Squared demonstrates versatility across different LLM architectures and modalities, including vision-language tasks. Transformer-Squared represents a significant leap forward, offering a scalable, efficient solution for enhancing the adaptability and task-specific performance of LLMs, paving the way for truly dynamic, self-organizing AI systems.
Supplementary Material: zip
Primary Area: foundation or frontier models, including LLMs
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Submission Number: 4376
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