undefined | Better HN

0 pointsbubaumba1y ago0 comments

You are missing key points here. "reproduce" means produce the same. Not just train similar model.

I can simplify the task, can you convincingly explain how the same model can be produced from this dataset? We can start simple, how you can possibly get the same weights after the first single iteration? I.e. the same as original model got. Pay attention to randomness, data selection, initial model state.

Ok, if you can't do that. Can you explain in believable way how to prove that given model was trained on give dataset? I'm not asking you for actually doing all these things, that could be expensive, only to explain how it can be done.

Strict 'open source' includes not only open weights, open data. It also includes the word "reproducible". It's not "reproduced", only "reproducible". And even this is not the case here.

0 comments

Sayrus1y ago

Reproducible builds are not a requirement for open source software, why is it one for open source models?

wrs1y ago

I would say that functionally reproducible builds are sort of inherent in the concept of “source”. When builds are “not reproducible” that typically just means they’re not bit-for-bit identical, not that they don’t produce the same output for a given input.

prophesi1y ago

Once neural networks enter the scene, I don't think giving the same output for a given input is possible in the field currently. I believe this is as open as language models can be, and what people mean when they say it's a "fully open source" model.

Zamiel_Snawley1y ago

If they provide the training code, and data set, how is that not enough to reproduce functionally equivalent weights? I don’t have any experience in the AI field, what else would they need to provide/define?

As others have mentioned, reproducible builds can be quite difficult to achieve even with regular software.

Compiler versions, build system versions, system library versions, time stamps, file paths, and more often contribute to getting non-identical yet functionally equivalent binaries, but the software is still open source.

worewood1y ago

How often do people expect to compile open-source code and get _exactly_ the same binary as the distributed one? I've seen this kind of restriction only on decompilation projects e.g. the SM64 decompilation -- where they deliberately compare the hashes of original vs. compiled binaries, as a way to verify the decompilation is correct.

It's an unreasonable request with ordinary code, even more with ML where very few ones have access to the necessary hardware, and where in practice, it is not deterministic.

bubaumbaOP1y ago

> How often do people expect to compile open-source code and get _exactly_ the same binary

_Always_, with the right options. And that's the key point. If distributed code is different it means it may be infected or altered in other way. In other words it cannot be trusted.

The same with models, if they are not reproducible or verifiable they cannot be trusted. Trust is the main feature of open source. Calling black box with attached data 'open source', even 'the first' is a bit of a stretch. It's not reproducible and not verifiable. And it's definitely not the first model with open data.

To be correct you should add 'untrusted' if you want to call this thing 'open source'. Like with Meta's models who knows what it holds.

PS: finally I'm negative, fanboys don't like it ;-)

e12e1y ago

I expect that if I compile your 3d renderer, and feed it the same scene file you did - I get the same image?

TylerE1y ago

Why would you expect that? 3D renderers are not generally deterministic. Many will incorporate, for instance, noise algorithms. They will frequently not produce byte-identical renders on the same hardware using the same binary.

e12e1y ago

Same recognizable image? Like if you look at the povray benchmark image on Linux and Windows?

For an llm that should (ideally) translate to similar answers?

bavell1y ago

I think you are erroneously conflating open source with deterministic builds.

Yes, there is a random element when "producing the binary" but that doesn't mean it isn't open source.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

Sayrus1y ago

Reproducible builds are not a requirement for open source software, why is it one for open source models?

wrs1y ago

prophesi1y ago

Zamiel_Snawley1y ago

As others have mentioned, reproducible builds can be quite difficult to achieve even with regular software.

worewood1y ago

It's an unreasonable request with ordinary code, even more with ML where very few ones have access to the necessary hardware, and where in practice, it is not deterministic.

bubaumbaOP1y ago

> How often do people expect to compile open-source code and get _exactly_ the same binary

_Always_, with the right options. And that's the key point. If distributed code is different it means it may be infected or altered in other way. In other words it cannot be trusted.

To be correct you should add 'untrusted' if you want to call this thing 'open source'. Like with Meta's models who knows what it holds.

PS: finally I'm negative, fanboys don't like it ;-)

e12e1y ago

I expect that if I compile your 3d renderer, and feed it the same scene file you did - I get the same image?

TylerE1y ago

e12e1y ago

Same recognizable image? Like if you look at the povray benchmark image on Linux and Windows?

For an llm that should (ideally) translate to similar answers?

bavell1y ago

I think you are erroneously conflating open source with deterministic builds.

Yes, there is a random element when "producing the binary" but that doesn't mean it isn't open source.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse