There is a newer version of the record available.

Published May 25, 2025 | Version v3
Publication Open

Semantic Axis Decomposition of Transformer Embeddings

  • 1. Independent Researcher

Description

This work introduces a novel method for interpreting sentence-transformer embeddings by identifying and labeling the most semantically meaningful latent dimensions. Using Random Forest classifiers, we extract top-N influential coordinates and assign human-interpretable meanings such as "emotionality", "scientific intent", or "question structure".

The result is a semantic heatmap that shows how individual sentences activate specific dimensions of meaning. This allows researchers and practitioners to better understand what transformer-based models are encoding and how they behave.

This is a conceptual and visual demonstration. Code is not included.

Keywords: transformer, embeddings, interpretability, latent space, semantic axis, XAI, sentence-transformers

Interactive prototype, source code, and PCA visualizations available here:  
https://github.com/kexi-bq/embedding-explainer

Files

semantic_floors_expanded (1).pdf

Files (4.7 kB)

Name Size Download all
md5:35ce8ea7f84925c1e5fc6957d49bfff4
4.7 kB Preview Download

Additional details

Dates

Accepted
2025-05-24