SELF-PRUNING NEURAL NETWORKS FOR WEIGHT PARAMETER REDUCTION

摘要

A technique to prune weights of a neural network using an analytic threshold function h(w) provides a neural network having weights that have been optimally pruned. The neural network includes a plurality of layers in which each layer includes a set of weights w associated with the layer that enhance a speed performance of the neural network, an accuracy of the neural network, or a combination thereof. Each set of weights is based on a cost function C that has been minimized by back-propagating an output of the neural network in response to input training data. The cost function C is also minimized based on a derivative of the cost function C with respect to a first parameter of the analytic threshold function h(w) and on a derivative of the cost function C with respect to a second parameter of the analytic threshold function h(w).