When Do Attention Circuits Form? Developmental Trajectories of Capability and Attention-Sink Emergence Across Three 1B-ClassArchitectures
A new research paper investigates the emergence of attention circuits in language models, specifically tracking how different types of attention heads form across various model architectures and training datasets. The study found that early layers in models consistently fail to develop specific types of attention heads, and the formation of these circuits can follow distinct patterns, such as gradual ramps or sharp phase transitions. Importantly, the research indicates that the identification of key circuits, like those for induction, can be achieved early in the training process, suggesting that model capabilities are linked to circuit development well before training completion. AI
IMPACT Provides insights into how internal model mechanisms develop, potentially guiding future architecture and training strategies.