Understanding Grokking in AI

The concept of 'grokking' refers to a phenomenon where large language models unexpectedly learn tasks after a prolonged period of training, contrary to standard expectations of deep learning. Researchers Yori Berder and Harry Edwards at OpenAI initially struggled with teaching a model basic arithmetic, but discovered that extended training led to surprising breakthroughs in performance, catching them off guard. This behavior emphasizes that the learning capabilities of AI models are not fully understood, raising questions about how and when these models achieve comprehension of tasks. The lack of consensus among AI researchers regarding grokking further illustrates the complexities and mysteries inherent in deep learning processes.