Optimizing Latency Predictors for Neural Architecture Search

Core Concepts

The author introduces a comprehensive suite of latency prediction tasks obtained through automated partitioning of hardware device sets and designs a general latency predictor that outperforms existing methods, improving latency prediction by up to 87.6% on the hardest tasks.

Abstract

Efficient deployment of neural networks requires co-optimization of accuracy and latency. Recent research focuses on improving sample efficiency in predictive models through pre-training and transfer learning methods. The study introduces a new end-to-end latency predictor training strategy that significantly enhances performance across various difficult prediction tasks.
Key points:

Importance of co-optimizing accuracy and latency in neural network deployment.
Use of pre-training and transfer learning to improve sample efficiency in predictive models.
Introduction of an end-to-end latency predictor training strategy that outperforms existing methods.
Significant improvements in latency prediction performance observed across challenging tasks.

Stats

Recent research has shown improvements in latency prediction by up to 87.6% on the hardest tasks.
The HW-Aware NAS reports a 5.8× speedup in wall-clock time.

Quotes

"With the appropriate end-to-end latency predictor training pipeline, we can have extremely sample-efficient HW-Aware NAS!"
"Our detailed investigation offers insights into effective few-shot latency predictor design."

Key Insights Distilled From

On Latency Predictors for Neural Architecture Search

by Yash Akhauri... at arxiv.org 03-06-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2403.02446.pdf

Deeper Inquiries

How does the proposed end-to-end latency predictor compare to traditional methods?

The proposed end-to-end latency predictor, NASFLAT, outperforms traditional methods in several key aspects. Firstly, it improves latency prediction accuracy by 22.5% on average and up to 87.6% on the most challenging tasks compared to existing methods like HELP and MultiPredict. This improvement is achieved through a combination of optimizations including hardware-aware operation embeddings, encoding-based samplers, supplementary NN encodings, and an optimized predictor architecture using GNN modules.
NASFLAT also demonstrates superior performance in HW-Aware NAS scenarios by providing a 5.8× speedup in wall-clock time dedicated to latency predictor fine-tuning and prediction compared to the best existing methods. Additionally, when integrated into neural architecture search (NAS) systems for accuracy optimization alongside MetaD2A algorithm, NASFLAT shows significant improvements in total NAS cost and speed-up metrics across different devices.

How are potential implications of improved sample efficiency in predictive models for real-world applications?

Improved sample efficiency in predictive models has significant implications for real-world applications involving neural networks deployment. By enhancing the ability of predictors to accurately estimate hardware latencies with fewer samples during training or transfer learning stages, various benefits can be realized:

Cost-Effectiveness: Reduced reliance on extensive on-device measurements translates into cost savings as fewer resources are required for model training.

Faster Deployment: Improved sample efficiency allows for quicker evaluation of candidate architectures which accelerates the deployment process of neural networks on diverse hardware devices.

Scalability: With better sample efficiency, scalability becomes more feasible as predictors can efficiently adapt to new target devices without requiring large amounts of device-specific data.

Optimized Resource Allocation: Real-time resource allocation decisions can be made more effectively based on accurate predictions from efficient models.

Overall, enhanced sample efficiency leads to streamlined processes in deploying neural networks across various hardware platforms while optimizing costs and improving operational effectiveness.

How might the findings impact future developments in neural architecture search and optimization?

The findings presented regarding latency predictors have several implications for future developments in neural architecture search (NAS) and optimization:

Enhanced Model Performance: The insights gained from designing a comprehensive suite of latency prediction tasks along with novel approaches such as operation-specific hardware embeddings could lead to advancements in developing more accurate and efficient predictive models tailored for specific hardware configurations.

Efficient Hardware-Aware Optimization: By incorporating strategies like encoding-based samplers and supplementary NN encodings into NAS workflows, researchers can achieve better selection strategies for diverse architectures leading to improved overall system performance.

3Robust Transfer Learning Techniques: The study's focus on few-shot transfer learning methodologies could pave the way for more robust transfer techniques that enable quick adaptation of predictors across different target devices with minimal samples required.
These advancements have the potential to revolutionize how neural network architectures are designed and optimized specifically considering both accuracy requirements as well as constraints related to latency-sensitive applications deployed across varied hardware environments.