Researchers isolate memorization from reasoning in AI neural networks
11 days ago
- #AI Research
- #Machine Learning
- #Neural Networks
- AI language models exhibit two major processing features: memorization and reasoning.
- New research from Goodfire.ai shows these functions operate through separate neural pathways.
- Removing memorization pathways reduced verbatim recitation by 97% but left reasoning largely intact.
- In OLMo-7B, layer 22 showed distinct activation patterns for memorized vs. non-memorized data.
- Arithmetic operations share pathways with memorization, not reasoning, explaining AI's math struggles.
- AI 'reasoning' includes pattern-matching tasks, not deep logical or mathematical problem-solving.