Continual learning

Learn the next task. Keep a path back.

New training can change skills a model already has. Akasha’s Rust framework gives developers retention strategies and checkpoint orchestration to integrate with their own models. Evaluate each update against the work that still matters.

Continual learning

New skills. Earlier progress.

support-routercheckpoint / before-returns
Evaluation caseCheckpointCandidate
Saved baselineCandidate update
Checkpoint retained · candidate needs reviewExample evaluation

Make the next update a deliberate choice.

This candidate misroutes an earlier question. Keep the checkpoint while you refine retention and replay, then evaluate again.

Choose a chapter to explore

Example evaluation workflow using fictional support tasks.

Learning over time

Make room for new skills.

A support model learns a new request category while earlier categories remain part of its job. Combine retention methods with examples from both task sets to assess what changed.

  1. 01Choose what to protectChoose the model and tasks you plan to train. Establish a baseline for the behavior the next update should retain.
  2. 02Preserve useful behaviorElastic Weight Consolidation, or EWC, estimates which model weights mattered to an earlier task and discourages large changes to them during later learning.
  3. 03Track what contributesSynaptic intelligence measures which parameters contribute during training. Those importance scores provide another way to protect prior learning.
  4. 04Revisit earlier examplesReplay mixes previous experience with new training. Generative replay reconstructs earlier features so new work can be learned alongside reminders of past tasks.
  5. 05Save a checkpointIntegrate the Rust checkpoint orchestrator with your model components and persistence backend. Save a starting point before the next update.
  6. 06Restore when neededConnect component recovery to your training workflow, then test restoring the saved state before relying on it during an update.
Developer example

Choose a retention strategy for your model.

Enable Elastic Weight Consolidation and configure the replay buffer in the Rust framework. Your training integration supplies the model, examples, and evaluation process.

Explore the learning illustration
Learning across tasksExample
ABCD
Example accuracy
92%with protection
50%without protection
Tasks learned
Task A
Task B
Task C
Task D
Sample dataRetention varies by task
Configure retention methods in the Rust enginerust
use akasha_continual::ContinualConfig;

let mut config = ContinualConfig::default();
config.strategies.ewc.enabled = true;
config.strategies.ewc.fisher_samples = 1_000;
config.buffer.capacity = 1_000;
config.buffer.priority_replay.enabled = true;

// Integrate the configuration with your model and training loop.
// Evaluate both earlier tasks and new tasks after each update.
Under the hood

Protection and recovery, with explicit controls.

Integrate retention methods into your training workflow. The Rust checkpoint orchestrator provides interfaces for registering components, saving state, and requesting recovery through a configured persistence backend.

Learning strategies
EWC
discourage changes to important weights
Synaptic intelligence
track parameter importance during training
Replay
revisit previous experience during new learning
Progressive networks
preserve earlier columns while adding task capacity
EWC configuration
enabled · fisher_samples · lambda
Rust checkpoint integration
Orchestrator
CheckpointOrchestrator
Components
CheckpointableComponent implementations
Storage
Configured PersistenceBackend
Checkpoint request
create_checkpoint(trigger, components)
Recovery request
start_recovery(checkpoint_id, components)
Observation
Status and checkpoint events

Keep a foundation for the next task.

Manage how your system learns, preserve useful progress, and save a state you can return to.