Formal Algorithms for Model Efficiency

TL;DR

The paper introduces the KMR framework, a formal system that unifies various deep learning model efficiency techniques into a modular, rule-based approach for systematic optimization and research advancement.

Contribution

It presents the KMR framework, a novel formalism that unifies diverse efficiency methods into a consistent, modular system enabling systematic composition and analysis.

Findings

KMR can instantiate common efficiency methods as formal triples.

The framework enables hybrid efficiency pipelines.

It facilitates automated policy learning and dynamic adaptation.

Abstract

We introduce the Knob-Meter-Rule (KMR) framework, a unified formalism for representing and reasoning about model efficiency techniques in deep learning. By abstracting diverse methods, including pruning, quantization, knowledge distillation, and parameter-efficient architectures, into a consistent set of controllable knobs, deterministic rules, and measurable meters, KMR provides a mathematically precise and modular perspective on efficiency optimization. The framework enables systematic composition of multiple techniques, flexible policy-driven application, and iterative budgeted optimization through the Budgeted-KMR algorithm. We demonstrate how well-known efficiency methods can be instantiated as KMR triples and present concise algorithmic templates for each. The framework highlights underlying relationships between methods, facilitates hybrid pipelines, and lays the foundation for future research in automated policy learning, dynamic adaptation, and theoretical analysis of cost-quality trade-offs. Overall, KMR offers both a conceptual and practical tool for unifying and advancing model efficiency research.