DeepFusion: Accelerating MoE Training via Federated Knowledge Distillation from Heterogeneous Edge Devices

Recent Mixture-of-Experts (MoE)-based large language models (LLMs) such as Qwen-MoE and DeepSeek-MoE are transforming generative AI in natural language processing. However, these models require vast and diverse training data. Federated learning (FL) addresses this challenge by leveraging private data from heterogeneous edge devices for privacy-preserving MoE training. Nonetheless, traditional FL approaches require devices to host local MoE models, which is impractical for resource-constrained devices due to large model sizes. To address this, we propose DeepFusion, the first scalable federated MoE training framework that enables the fusion of heterogeneous on-device LLM knowledge via federated knowledge distillation, yielding a knowledge-abundant global MoE model. Specifically, DeepFusion features each device to independently configure and train an on-device LLM tailored to its own needs and hardware limitations. Furthermore, we propose a novel View-Aligned Attention (VAA) module that integrates multi-stage feature representations from the global MoE model to construct a predictive perspective aligned with on-device LLMs, thereby enabling effective cross-architecture knowledge distillation. By explicitly aligning predictive perspectives, VAA resolves the view-mismatch problem in traditional federated knowledge distillation, which arises from heterogeneity in model architectures and prediction behaviors between on-device LLMs and the global MoE model. Experiments with industry-level MoE models (Qwen-MoE and DeepSeek-MoE) and real-world datasets (medical and finance) demonstrate that DeepFusion achieves performance close to centralized MoE training. Compared with key federated MoE baselines, DeepFusion reduces communication costs by up to 71% and improves token perplexity by up to 5.28%.

Dynamic Pricing for On-Demand DNN Inference in the Edge-AI Market

The convergence of edge computing and AI gives rise to Edge-AI, which enables the deployment of real-time AI applications and services at the network edge. One of the fundamental research issues in Edge-AI is edge inference acceleration, which aims to realize low-latency high-accuracy DNN inference services by leveraging the fine-grained offloading of partitioned inference tasks from end devices to edge servers. However, existing research has yet to adopt a practical Edge-AI market perspective, which would systematically explore the personalized inference needs of AI users (e.g., inference accuracy, latency, and task complexity), the revenue incentives for AI service providers that offer edge inference services, and multi-stakeholder governance within a market-oriented context. To bridge this gap, we propose an Auction-based Edge Inference Pricing Mechanism (AERIA) for revenue maximization to tackle the multi-dimensional optimization problem of DNN model partition, edge inference pricing, and resource allocation. We investigate the multi-exit device-edge synergistic inference scheme for on-demand DNN inference acceleration, and analyse the auction dynamics amongst the AI service providers, AI users and edge infrastructure provider. Owing to the strategic mechanism design via randomized consensus estimate and cost sharing techniques, the Edge-AI market attains several desirable properties, including competitiveness in revenue maximization, incentive compatibility, and envy-freeness, which are crucial to maintain the effectiveness, truthfulness, and fairness of our auction outcomes. The extensive simulation experiments based on four representative DNN inference workloads demonstrate that our AERIA mechanism significantly outperforms several state-of-the-art approaches in revenue maximization, demonstrating the efficacy of AERIA for on-demand DNN inference in the Edge-AI market.