DYNAMAX: Dynamic computing for Transformers and Mamba based architectures

Abstract: Early exits (EEs) offer a promising approach to reducing computational costs and latency by dynamically terminating inference once a satisfactory prediction confidence on a data sample is achieved. Although many works integrate EEs into encoder-only Transformers, their application to decoder-only architectures and, more importantly, Mamba models, a novel family of state-space architectures in the LLM realm, remains insufficiently explored. This work introduces DYNAMAX, the first framework to exploit the unique properties of Mamba architectures for early exit mechanisms. We not only integrate EEs into Mamba but also repurpose Mamba as an efficient EE classifier for both Mamba-based and transformer-based LLMs, showcasing its versatility. Our experiments employ the Mistral 7B transformer compared to the Codestral 7B Mamba model, using data sets such as TruthfulQA, CoQA, and TriviaQA to evaluate computational savings, accuracy, and consistency. The results highlight the adaptability of Mamba as a powerful EE classifier and its efficiency in balancing computational cost and performance quality across NLP tasks. By leveraging Mamba's inherent design for dynamic processing, we open pathways for scalable and efficient inference in embedded applications and resource-constrained environments. This study underscores the transformative potential of Mamba in redefining dynamic computing paradigms for LLMs.