Partial Tensorized Transformers for Natural Language Processing

Abstract: The transformer architecture has revolutionized NLP and other machine-learning tasks, due to its unprecedented accuracy. However, their extensive memory and parameter requirements often hinder their practical applications. In this work, we study the effect of tensor-train decomposition to improve the accuracy and compress transformer vision-language neural networks, namely BERT and ViT. We focus both on embedding-layer compression and partial tensorization of neural networks (PTNN) through an algorithmic approach. Our novel PTNN approach significantly improves the accuracy of existing models by up to 5%, all without the need for post-training adjustments, breaking new ground in the field of tensor decomposition.