nnef Neural Network Exchange Format standardizes transfers

Several neural network frameworks for deep learning exist, all of which offer distance features and functionality. Transferring neural networks between frameworks, however, creates extra time and work for developers. The Khronos Group, an open consortium of leading hardware and software companies creating advanced acceleration standards, has developed NNEF (Neural Network Exchange Format), an open, royalty-free standard that allows hardware manufacturers to reliably exchange trained neural networks between training frameworks and inference engines. Neural networks are trained using a variety of different frameworks and are then deployed on a similarly-wide variety of inference engines, each of which has its own proprietary format. This diversity is highly desirable but is also where the problem lies.