arXiv:2601.01306cs.LGmath.OC2026-01

提出改进版优化器Muon++,让大模型训练全程满足谱条件。

Towards a Principled Muon under $μ\mathsf{P}$: Ensuring Spectral Conditions throughout Training

  • 仅对优化器更新做谱控制,避免权重显式归一化。
  • 实验验证长周期训练中仍保持μP理论特性,提升稳定性。
  • 适合追求稳定训练的大模型研究者与工程团队。

μ参数化(μP)为大语言模型训练提供了理论基础,其宽度无关的学习动态可实现可预测的缩放行为和鲁棒的超参数迁移。μP的核心要求是权重矩阵满足特定谱条件,以确保模型宽度增长时特征学习与优化行为的一致性。尽管理论清晰,但在实际训练中,尤其针对基于矩阵的优化器(如Muon),如何在整个训练过程中保证谱条件始终成立仍缺乏研究。现有工作存在明显局限:要么无法全程保障谱条件,要么需反复对权重和更新进行谱归一化(或Newton-Schulz迭代),带来显著计算开销。本文提出一种新方法,证明对于中等以上规模模型,仅在优化器更新层面维持谱控制即可有效保持μP兼容的缩放特性,无需显式归一化权重。基于此,我们设计了改进版优化器Muon++,可在整个训练过程中严格满足谱条件。结果弥合了μP理论承诺与实际矩阵优化器部署之间的差距。同时,首次引入数据依赖的自适应谱条件,使其更适用于长期大模型训练。

原文摘要 · Abstract (English)

The $μ$-parameterization ($μ$P) provides a principled foundation for large language model (LLM) training by prescribing width-independent learning dynamics, which in turn enables predictable scaling behavior and robust hyperparameter transfer across model sizes. A central requirement of $μ$P is the satisfaction of certain spectral conditions on weight matrices, which ensure consistent feature learning and optimization behavior as model width grows. While these conditions are well understood in theory, guaranteeing their validity in practical training for matrix-based optimizers such as Muon is still under studied. Existing works that study Muon under $μ$P exhibit important limitations: they either do not ensure that the spectral conditions hold throughout the entire training horizon, or require repeated spectral normalization (or Newton-Schulz iterations) applied to both weights and updates, leading to significant computational overhead and reduced practicality. In this work, we show how to reliably guarantee the spectral conditions required by $μ$P for Muon during the entire training process. Our key insight is that for moderately large models, maintaining spectral control at the level of optimizer updates alone is sufficient to preserve $μ$P-compatible scaling, eliminating the need for explicit spectral normalization of the weights. Based on this principle, we develop a variant of Muon, namely Muon++, that satisfies spectral condition throughout the training process. Our results bridge the gap between the theoretical promises of $μ$P and the practical deployment of matrix-based optimizers in long-horizon training. We also take the first step towards an adaptive spectral condition by incorporating data-dependent effects, making it better suited for long-horizon LLM training.

大模型训练优化器谱条件μP

Thank you to arXiv for use of its open access interoperability. PaperDance 不是 arXiv 官方产品;中文卡片由大模型生成,请以原文为准。