Tongjun Shi

Yuhao Wu, Tongjun Shi, Karthick Sharma et al.

Large Language Models (LLMs) serve as repositories of extensive world knowledge, enabling them to perform tasks such as question-answering and fact-checking. However, this knowledge can become obsolete as global contexts change. In this paper, we introduce a novel problem in the realm of continual learning: Online Continual Knowledge Learning (OCKL). This problem formulation aims to manage the dynamic nature of world knowledge in LMs under real-time constraints. We propose a new benchmark and evaluation metric designed to measure both the rate of new knowledge acquisition and the retention of previously learned knowledge. Our empirical evaluation, conducted using a variety of state-of-the-art methods, establishes robust base-lines for OCKL. Our results reveal that existing continual learning approaches are unfortunately insufficient for tackling the unique challenges posed by OCKL. We identify key factors that influence the trade-off between knowledge acquisition and retention, thereby advancing our understanding of how to train LMs in a continually evolving environment.

Tongjun Shi, Shuhao Zhang, Binbin Chen et al.

Stream Learning (SL) requires models that can quickly adapt to continuously evolving data, posing significant challenges in both computational efficiency and learning accuracy. Effective data selection is critical in SL to ensure a balance between information retention and training efficiency. Traditional rule-based data selection methods struggle to accommodate the dynamic nature of streaming data, highlighting the necessity for innovative solutions that effectively address these challenges. Recent approaches to handling changing data distributions face challenges that limit their effectiveness in fast-paced environments. In response, we propose StreamFP, a novel approach that uniquely employs dynamic, learnable parameters called fingerprints to enhance data selection efficiency and adaptability in stream learning. StreamFP optimizes coreset selection through its unique fingerprint-guided mechanism for efficient training while ensuring robust buffer updates that adaptively respond to data dynamics, setting it apart from existing methods in stream learning. Experimental results demonstrate that StreamFP outperforms state-of-the-art methods by achieving accuracy improvements of 15.99%, 29.65%, and 51.24% compared to baseline models across varying data arrival rates, alongside a training throughput increase of 4.6x.