Fast Feasible and Unfeasible Matrix Multiplication

Abstract: Fast matrix-by-matrix multiplication (hereafter MM) is a highly recognized research subject. The record upper bound 3 of 1968 on the exponent of the complexity MM decreased below 2.38 by 1987, applies to celebrated problems in many areas of computing, and is extensively cited in the Theory of Computing. Further decrease of the exponent remains a celebrated challenge. Acceleration of MM in the Practice of Computing is a distinct challenge, because all known algorithms supporting the exponents below 2.7733 improve straightforward MM only for unfeasible MM of immense size, greatly exceeding the sizes of interest nowadays and in any foreseeable future. We first survey the mainstream study of the acceleration of MM of unbounded sizes, cover the progress in decreasing the exponents of MM, comment on its impact on the theory and practice of computing, and recall various fundamental concepts and techniques supporting fast MM and naturally introduced in that study by 1980. Then we demonstrate how the curse of recursion naturally entered the game of decreasing the record exponents. Finally we cover the State of the Art of efficient feasible MM, including some most efficient known techniques and algorithms as well as various issues of numerical and symbolic implementation. We hope that our review will help motivate and properly focus further effort in this highly important area.