arXiv Machine Learning

Q-MINO: A Minimal-Norm Method for Quantization-Aware Training

The paper introduces Q-MINO, a Quantization-Aware Minimal-Norm Optimizer designed to improve training of ultra-low-bit neural networks. Q-MINO uses a temporal bundle method that incorporates gradient consensus, state-drift regularization, and an alignment constraint to produce stabilized, minimum-norm update directions. The authors solve the resulting constrained subproblem with a warm-started Frank–Wolfe procedure and provide theoretical convergence guarantees via a stochastic Lyapunov Kurdyka–Łojasiewicz framework, along with numerical experiments demonstrating its effectiveness across various quantization levels.

arXiv AI
Aug 20

Entropy-Constrained Adaptive Stochastic Quantization

arXiv:2608. 18147v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Adaptive stochastic quantization (ASQ) is a recently introduced quantization approach that optimizes the Mean Squared Error (MSE) for a given input while preserving unbiasedness.

By Ran Ben Basat, Yaniv Ben-Itzhak, Michael Mitzenmacher, Shay Vargaftik
arXiv AI
Sep 2

Towards Provable and Scalable Training of Quantized Neural Networks with Ising Optimization

The paper presents a Quadratic Constrained Binary Optimization (QCBO) framework that provides provable guarantees for training quantized neural networks. It characterizes the topology of zero‑loss level sets, compiles finite‑depth architectures into bounded QCBOs, and introduces a sample‑wise Decomposed Lower‑Bound Optimization (DLBO) to scale Ising‑based optimization. Experiments on a coherent Ising machine show high accuracy on binary Fashion‑MNIST at 1.1‑bit precision and validate the approach on multi‑class datasets.

By Wenxin Li, Chuan Wang, Hongdong Zhu, Qi Gao, Yin Ma, Hai Wei, Kai Wen
arXiv Machine Learning
Sep 16

Towards Surrogate Based Dequantization of Quantum Reinforcement Learning

The paper investigates whether quantum reinforcement learning algorithms can be matched by efficient classical methods. It focuses on a simplified reinforcement learning setting with a uniform generative model, providing finite‑sample guarantees for classical kernelized Fitted Q‑Iteration that uses kernels aligned with parameterized quantum circuits. The authors identify sufficient conditions on data encoding, kernel choice, and problem structure under which this classical approach dequantizes quantum Q‑learning, and suggest using kernelized Fitted Q‑Iteration as a heuristic when those conditions cannot be verified.

By Pablo Rodriguez-Grasa, Sofiene Jerbi, Mikel Sanz, Ryan Sweke
arXiv AI
Sep 2

REAL-Q: E2E LLM Quantization via Dynamic Gradient Descent

REAL-Q introduces a new post‑training quantization approach for large language models that replaces the traditional single closed‑form second‑order solver with a fine‑grained, dynamic block‑wise gradient descent applied after every 128‑column block. By aligning the surrogate loss with the end‑to‑end objective and using a sliding window for smooth cross‑layer transitions, REAL‑Q mitigates error propagation and information misalignment. Experiments on LLaMA‑3.1 and Qwen3 show up to ~49% reduction in end‑to‑end KL divergence compared to state‑of‑the‑art methods.

By Qian Zhang, Yaoming Li, Zhewen Tan, Yanshu Wang, Heng Lu, Kun Su, Zongwei Lv, Wenhan Yu, Yongge Ma, Yinjun Han, Ruikuang Liu, Tong Yang