Optimization Strategies for Enhancing Resource Efficiency in Transformers & Large Language Models

Abstract

Advancements in Natural Language Processing are heavily reliant on Transformer architectures, whose improvements come at substantial resource costs due to ever-growing model sizes. This study explores optimization techniques, including quantization, knowledge distillation, and pruning, focusing on energy and computational efficiency while retaining performance. Among standalone methods, 4-Bit quantization significantly reduces energy use with minimal accuracy loss. Hybrid approaches, like NVIDIA’s Minitron approach combining KD and structured pruning, further demonstrate promising trade-offs between size reduction and accuracy retention. A novel optimization framework is introduced, offering a flexible framework for comparing various methods. Through the investigation of these compression methods, we provide valuable insights for developing more sustainable and efficient LLMs, shining a light on the often-ignored concern of energy efficiency.