A single fast Hebbian-like process enabling one-shot class addition in deep neural networks without backbone modification

Abstract

One-shot learning, the ability to learn a new concept from a single instance, is a distinctive brain function that has garnered substantial interest in machine learning. While modeling physiological mechanisms poses challenges, advancements in artificial neural networks have led to performances in specific tasks that rival human capabilities. Proposing one-shot learning methods with these advancements, especially those involving simple mechanisms, not only enhance technological development but also contribute to neuroscience by proposing functionally valid hypotheses. Among the simplest methods for one-shot class addition with deep learning image classifiers is “weight imprinting,” which uses neural activity from a new class image data as the corresponding new synaptic weights. Despite its simplicity, its relevance to neuroscience is ambiguous, and it often interferes with original image classification, which is a significant drawback in practical applications. This study introduces a novel interpretation where a part of the weight imprinting process aligns with the Hebbian rule. We show that a single Hebbian-like process enables pre-trained deep learning image classifiers to perform one-shot class addition without any modification to the original classifier's backbone. Using non-parametric normalization to mimic brain's fast Hebbian plasticity significantly reduces the interference observed in previous methods. Our method is one of the simplest and most practical for one-shot class addition tasks, and its reliance on a single fast Hebbian-like process contributes valuable insights to neuroscience hypotheses.