Term
Multitask Learning (ˌmʌltiˈtæsk ˈlɜːnɪŋ)
Definition
Multitask Learning is a method where an AI model is trained on multiple different tasks at the same time. This helps the model learn to generalize better, so it can perform well across various tasks, not just the ones it was specifically trained on.
Where you’ll find it
In AI platforms, Multitask Learning is often part of the training configuration or settings when setting up neural networks or other types of models. It appears in various AI frameworks that support advanced model training capabilities.
Common use cases
- AI efficiency: Training a model on several tasks can save time and compute resources as the model shares what it learns across tasks.
- Performance improvement: Models trained using Multitask Learning often perform better on individual tasks because they incorporate a broader range of learning signals.
- Cross-industry applications: From healthcare to customer service, multitask models are valuable as they adapt flexibly to different kinds of data and problems.
Things to watch out for
- Overfitting risk: If not properly managed, a multitask model might overfit on one task to the detriment of others.
- Task relevance balance: Ensuring the tasks are sufficiently related is crucial, as too diverse tasks can dilute the effectiveness of the learning process.
- Tuning complexity: Configuring a multitask model can be more complex than training single-task models. It requires careful tuning of parameters to balance the learning across tasks.
Related terms
- Neural Networks
- Generalization
- Overfitting
- Model Training