11 votes

Numerically Stable RWKV Language Model

4 comments

  1. [2]
    FlippantGod
    Link
    I've been keeping tabs on RWKV, and it's garnered wider interest after a preprint. It'll take me a while to get through the math though, and I figure there must be a couple of Tildeans who...

    I've been keeping tabs on RWKV, and it's garnered wider interest after a preprint. It'll take me a while to get through the math though, and I figure there must be a couple of Tildeans who actually enjoy it, the masochists. Jokes aside, RWKV continues to surprise me with how.... relatively simple it is.

    3 votes
    1. Wulfsta
      Link Parent
      This is a really cool model, thanks for sharing. I’m going to have to play around with it and see what I can get it to do.

      This is a really cool model, thanks for sharing. I’m going to have to play around with it and see what I can get it to do.

      1 vote
  2. [2]
    Wulfsta
    Link
    Reading the initial RWKV paper, it seems they address gradient stability; why is this reformulation necessary?

    Reading the initial RWKV paper, it seems they address gradient stability; why is this reformulation necessary?

    1 vote
    1. FlippantGod
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      My guess is that gradient stability in RWKV is a side effect. I don't think there is necessarily any advantage if RWKV's channels work as intended. I also haven't worked it out so there is a good...

      My guess is that gradient stability in RWKV is a side effect. I don't think there is necessarily any advantage if RWKV's channels work as intended.

      I also haven't worked it out so there is a good chance I'm wrong.

      Edit:
      You are right, a proof of numerical stability was in the paper.

      Upon further review I guess the article is showing they have preserved numerical stability in their second reformulation into log-space, which I haven't gotten to yet.

      The first reformulation introduces a scaling factor showing numerical stability with large w. It might be the case that the original RWKV can vanish with some w? The paper maybe hints at this?

      Frankly I don't know.

      1 vote