RedWhale: An Adapted Korean LLM Through Efficient Continual Pretraining

The field of Natural Language Processing (NLP) has seen significant advancements with the development of Large Language Models (LLMs). However, much of this research remains focused on English, often overlooking low-resource languages like Korean. This oversight presents challenges due to the unique non-alphabetic token structure of Korean and the substantial memory and computational demands required for LLM training, which frequently lead to memory constraints and out-of-memory errors. To address these issues, we present RedWhale, a model specifically tailored for Korean language processing. RedWhale is developed using an efficient continual pretraining approach that includes a comprehensive Korean corpus preprocessing pipeline, a specialized tokenizer, an optimized model initialization technique, and a multistage pretraining strategy. These innovations collectively reduce training time and computational costs while maintaining high levels of accuracy and comprehension. By leveraging cross-lingual transfer learning, which exploits shared linguistic similarities across languages, RedWhale builds on English models to enhance Korean language processing. Experimental results demonstrate that RedWhale outperforms other leading models on Korean NLP benchmarks, including the Korean Balanced Evaluation of Significant Tasks (KoBEST), showing superior understanding and generation of Korean text. Furthermore, RedWhale showed no signs of convergence even after pretraining on 9.7 billion tokens, indicating the potential for further improvements with additional training. This work represents a significant advancement in bridging the linguistic divide, particularly in enhancing NLP capabilities for the Korean language.

Heuristic Algorithm-based Action Masking Reinforcement Learning (HAAM-RL) with Ensemble Inference Method

This paper presents a novel reinforcement learning (RL) approach called HAAM-RL (Heuristic Algorithm-based Action Masking Reinforcement Learning) for optimizing the color batching re-sequencing problem in automobile painting processes. The existing heuristic algorithms have limitations in adequately reflecting real-world constraints and accurately predicting logistics performance. Our methodology incorporates several key techniques including a tailored Markov Decision Process (MDP) formulation, reward setting including Potential-Based Reward Shaping, action masking using heuristic algorithms (HAAM-RL), and an ensemble inference method that combines multiple RL models. The RL agent is trained and evaluated using FlexSim, a commercial 3D simulation software, integrated with our RL MLOps platform BakingSoDA. Experimental results across 30 scenarios demonstrate that HAAM-RL with an ensemble inference method achieves a 16.25% performance improvement over the conventional heuristic algorithm, with stable and consistent results. The proposed approach exhibits superior performance and generalization capability, indicating its effectiveness in optimizing complex manufacturing processes. The study also discusses future research directions, including alternative state representations, incorporating model-based RL methods, and integrating additional real-world constraints.

Toward Reinforcement Learning-based Rectilinear Macro Placement Under Human Constraints

Macro placement is a critical phase in chip design, which becomes more intricate when involving general rectilinear macros and layout areas. Furthermore, macro placement that incorporates human-like constraints, such as design hierarchy and peripheral bias, has the potential to significantly reduce the amount of additional manual labor required from designers. This study proposes a methodology that leverages an approach suggested by Google's Circuit Training (G-CT) to provide a learning-based macro placer that not only supports placing rectilinear cases, but also adheres to crucial human-like design principles. Our experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our framework in achieving power-performance-area (PPA) metrics and in obtaining placements of high quality, comparable to those produced with human intervention. Additionally, our methodology shows potential as a generalized model to address diverse macro shapes and layout areas.