mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

Learning Rate Transfer in Normalized Transformers

arXiv 2604.27077 ↗First posted 29 Apr 2026cs.LG cs.AI stat.MLcited by 3

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Abstract (arXiv)

The Normalized Transformer, or nGPT (arXiv:2410.01131) achieves impressive training speedups and does not require weight decay or learning rate warmup. However, despite having hyperparameters that explicitly scale with model size, we observe that nGPT does not exhibit learning rate transfer across model dimension and token horizon. To rectify this, we combine numerical experiments with a principled use of alignment exponents (arXiv:2407.05872) to revisit and modify the μP approach to hyperparameter transfer (arXiv:2011.14522). The result is a novel nGPT parameterization we call nuGPT. Through extensive empirical validation, we find nuGPT exhibits learning rate transfer across width, depth, and token horizon.

Key facts. Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Builds on 33 of its 41 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 29 Apr 2026.

Builds on

33 of 41 references.

References · 33

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21 more
  1. 2022On the SDEs and Scaling Rules for Adaptive Gradient Algorithmscited by 104
  2. 2025Fantastic Pretraining Optimizers and Where to Find Themcited by 100
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  12. 2024Scaling Optimal LR Across Token Horizonscited by 40
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  14. 2024Reconciling Kaplan and Chinchilla Scaling Lawscited by 39
  15. 2024u-μP: The Unit-Scaled Maximal Update Parametrizationcited by 29
  16. 2025Completed Hyperparameter Transfer across Modules, Width, Depth, Batch and Durationcited by 27
  17. 2025Weight Decay may matter more than muP for Learning Rate Transfer in Practicecited by 20
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  21. 2026Deriving Hyperparameter Scaling Laws via Modern Optimization Theorycited by 10

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3 papers.