训练中自动剪枝冗余层,模型变小但精度不降
Simplifying Neural Networks During Training

- 用逆费雪准则监控特征变化,定位可简化层段
- 剪掉后半部分网络,参数量减少超60%仍保精度
- 适合想压缩模型又不想重训的研究者
理解过参数化深度神经网络的训练动态仍是现代机器学习的核心挑战。近期关于神经坍缩(Neural Collapse, NC)的证据表明,类别表示和分类器具有高度结构化的几何形态,而隧道效应(Tunnel Effect)则指出仅部分层对特征提取至关重要。本文结合这两种视角,提出一种受NC启发的训练框架,在训练过程中简化深层网络。该方法通过逆费雪准则这一稳定高效的代理指标监控表示动态,识别出特征提取与分类之间的分界点,以及简化可行的训练阶段。随后将尾部层替换为轻量分类头,并继续训练精简后的模型。在MLP、VGG和ResNet等架构上的图像分类基准测试中,该方法实现了显著的参数减少,同时保持与完整模型相当的精度。实验代码可于 https://github.com/LorenzoSciandra/NNS 获取。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
Understanding and exploiting the training dynamics of overparameterized deep neural networks remains a central challenge in modern machine learning. Recent evidence on Neural Collapse (NC) shows that class representations and classifiers exhibit highly structured geometry, while the Tunnel Effect suggests that only a subset of layers is essential for feature extraction. We combine these two perspectives and propose an NC-inspired training framework for simplifying deep networks during training. Our method monitors representation dynamics through the Inverse Fisher Criterion, a stable and efficient proxy for the variability collapse behavior, to identify both the split point between feature extraction and classification and the training stage at which simplification becomes viable. We then replace the trailing layers with a lightweight classification head and continue training the reduced model. Experiments on image-classification benchmarks across MLP, VGG, and ResNet architectures show that the proposed method achieves substantial parameter reductions while maintaining accuracy comparable to that of the full model. Code to reproduce the experiments can be found at: https://github.com/LorenzoSciandra/NNS.
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