Training deep transformer language models can be accelerated using two main techniques: torch.compile() and gradient accumulation. With the introduction of PyTorch 2.0, torch.compile() allows for the compilation of models, optimizing them for better performance by creating a computation graph. This compiled model shares the same tensors as the original model, but it is crucial to ensure the model is error-free before compiling, as debugging becomes more challenging. Gradient accumulation, on the other hand, is a method to simulate a larger batch size by accumulating gradients over multiple forward passes, reducing the number of backward passes and optimizer updates needed. This approach is particularly useful in memory-constrained environments, as it allows for efficient training without requiring additional memory. Adjustments to the learning rate schedule are necessary when using gradient accumulation to ensure proper training dynamics. These techniques are important for improving the efficiency and speed of training large models, which can be a significant bottleneck in machine learning workflows.
