Exploring the Frontiers of Softmax: Provable Optimization, Applications in Diffusion Model, and Beyond

arXiv:2405.03251v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: The softmax activation function plays a crucial role in the success of large language models (LLMs), particularly in the self-attention mechanism of the widely adopted Transformer architecture. However, the underlying learning dynamics that contribute to the effectiveness of softmax remain largely unexplored. As a step towards better understanding, this paper provides a theoretical study of the optimization and generalization properties of two-layer softmax neural networks, providing theoretical insights into their superior performance as other activation …

abstract applications architecture arxiv attention beyond cs.ai cs.lg diffusion diffusion model dynamics frontiers function however language language models large language large language models llms optimization role self-attention softmax success transformer transformer architecture type