AI Research Newsletter 🦙: Can Machine Learning Predict Chaos? + VCoder + PowerInfer + Time Vectors + and many more...

Researchers from Microsoft and Georgia Tech Introduce VCoder
🤔 How can we enhance the ability of Multimodal Large Language Models (MLLMs) to accurately perceive and count entities in images? 🌟 Meet Versatile vision enCoders (VCoder) as the "perception eyes" for MLLMs! 🚀 VCoder is fed with diverse perception modalities like segmentation or depth maps, boosting the MLLMs' visual understanding. 🎯 To train and evaluate these enhanced MLLMs, researchers have crafted the COCO Segmentation Text (COST) dataset, utilizing images from COCO and outputs from existing vision perception models. 📊 New metrics are introduced to assess object perception in MLLMs on COST. 📈 The experiments show VCoder significantly outperforms current Multimodal LLMs, including GPT-4V, in object-level perception tasks. 📚 Bonus: Researchers have shared their dataset, code, and models with the research community to spark further innovation! 🎉🔍

Can Machine Learning Predict Chaos?
🤔 Can specialized dynamical systems methods surpass general-purpose machine-learning models in forecasting chaos? This study from UT Austin benchmarks 24 advanced forecasting methods, including both specialized and general-purpose models, across 135 low-dimensional systems using 17 metrics. It finds that domain-agnostic methods, like transformers, excel in long-horizon forecasting, staying accurate for up to two dozen Lyapunov times, outshining classical approaches. However, in data-limited scenarios, physics-based hybrid methods demonstrate an advantage due to their strong biases. Intriguingly, accuracy in long-horizon forecasts doesn't correlate with traditional measures like the Lyapunov exponent, challenging established understanding and opening new research avenues in chaotic systems. 🌐📈🔄

Meet PowerInfer
🤔 How can we harness the power of Large Language Models (LLMs) efficiently on personal computers with just a single consumer-grade GPU? Meet PowerInfer! This innovative paper introduces PowerInfer, a super-fast LLM inference engine specifically designed for PCs. It cleverly exploits the high locality in LLM inference, where a power-law distribution in neuron activation is observed. 🧠 This means a few "hot neurons" are frequently activated, while many "cold neurons" come into play depending on the input.

PowerInfer's secret sauce? A GPU-CPU hybrid engine! Hot neurons are preloaded on the GPU for speedy access, while the CPU takes care of the cold ones. This smart division of labor drastically cuts down on GPU memory usage and CPU-GPU data shuffling. 🚀 Plus, PowerInfer integrates adaptive predictors and neuron-aware sparse operators to further optimize efficiency.

The results? 🌟 PowerInfer achieves an average token generation rate of 13.20 tokens/s, peaking at 29.08 tokens/s on a single NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU. That's only 18% shy of what a high-end server-grade A100 GPU can do, and it absolutely zooms past llama.cpp by up to 11.69x, all while maintaining model accuracy. In short, PowerInfer is a game-changer for running advanced AI models on everyday hardware! 💻✨

Time Vectors
How can language models be effectively customized to understand text from different time periods? Researchers from the University of Washington and Allen Institute for AI Introduce Time Vectors: A Simple Tool to Customize Language Models to New Time Periods. Time vectors are crafted by fine-tuning a language model with data from a specific time (like a year or month) and then subtracting the weights of the original pre-trained model. These vectors define a direction in the weight space that enhances performance on texts from the targeted time period. Intriguingly, time vectors for adjacent time periods are closer in a manifold, suggesting a structured weight space. By interpolating between these vectors, you can create new models that excel in handling texts from intervening and future periods without additional training. The comprehensive experiments across various tasks, domains, model sizes, and time scales demonstrate the effectiveness and consistency of this method. The research findings excitingly suggest that the essence of time is embedded within the weight space of fine-tuned models. 🕒🚀📊

BONUS (AI Tools for Productivity, Social Media, and Data)
We are featuring 10 cool AI tools designed to streamline and enhance various professional tasks.

1. Pika 🎥: Transform your words into professional-quality videos with Pika, turning every user into a storytelling genius like Spielberg. [Video Generator]

2. FocuSee by Gemoo 🌟: Convert screen grabs into eye-catching videos instantly with FocuSee, eliminating the hassle of editing. [Video Editor & Presentation]

3. AskSia AI 🧠: Embrace the future of learning with AskSia AI, your personal AI brain coach that identifies learning gaps and elevates your academic performance. [Learning & Chatbot]

4. Taplio* 💼: With Taplio, join over 6200 professionals using AI for effortless LinkedIn content creation, smart scheduling, and elite networking. Free trial available! [Social Media]

5. ReachInbox 📧: Revolutionize your sales approach with ReachInbox, an AI-driven tool for limitless lead generation and efficient deal closure. [Email & Sales]

6. Figma* 🎨: Redefine your design process with Figma, offering real-time collaboration and innovative tools to make creativity both efficient and exciting. [Design & Coding]

7. InMagic.ai 🔮: Unveil the secrets in your Instagram captions with InMagic.ai, providing personalized AI insights for everything from career paths to travel dreams. [Social Media & AI Assistant]

8. MeetGeek* 🤖: Streamline your meetings with MeetGeek, your AI assistant for smarter meetings, offering recording, transcription, and summarization services. [Meeting]

9. AdCreative.ai* 🖼️: Experience fast, precise, and efficient ad creation with AdCreative's AI-driven platform, tailored for marketers. [Design & Market]

10. Beehiiv*️🐝: Explore the power of AI with Beehiiv, an email newsletter platform that enables creators to produce, monetize, and expand their newsletters effectively. [Email]

Get ready to boost your work game with these AI tools! 💻🚀