Hierarchical Block Sparse Neural Networks

Understand

Sparse deep neural networks(DNNs) are efficient in both memory and compute when compared to dense DNNs.

• But due to irregularity in computation of sparse DNNs, their efficiencies are much lower than that of dense DNNs on regular parallel hardware such as TPU.
• This inefficiency leads to poor/no performance benefits for sparse DNNs.
• Performance issue for sparse DNNs can be alleviated by bringing structure to the sparsity and leveraging it for improving runtime efficiency.