Hybrid Attention-based Encoder-decoder Model for Efficient Language Model Adaptation

Abstract: The attention-based encoder-decoder (AED) speech recognition model has been widely successful in recent years. However, the joint optimization of acoustic model and LLM in end-to-end manner has created challenges for text adaptation. In particular, effective, quick and inexpensive adaptation with text input has become a primary concern for deploying AED systems in the industry. To address this issue, we propose a novel model, the hybrid attention-based encoder-decoder (HAED) speech recognition model that preserves the modularity of conventional hybrid automatic speech recognition systems. Our HAED model separates the acoustic and LLMs, allowing for the use of conventional text-based LLM adaptation techniques. We demonstrate that the proposed HAED model yields 23% relative Word Error Rate (WER) improvements when out-of-domain text data is used for LLM adaptation, with only a minor degradation in WER on a general test set compared with the conventional AED model.