In progress. Not ready for review. Approach 2.

PiperOrigin-RevId: 703603535

jax/BUILD

@@ -307,6 +307,7 @@ py_library_providing_imports_info(
         ":xla_bridge",
         ":xla_metadata",
         "//jax/_src/lib",
+        "//third_party/py/absl/logging",
     ] + py_deps("numpy") + py_deps("scipy") + py_deps("opt_einsum") + py_deps("flatbuffers") + jax_extra_deps,
 )
 

jax/_src/api_util.py

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 from typing import Any
 
 import numpy as np
+from numpy import dtypes as np_dtypes
 
 from jax._src import core
 from jax._src import dtypes
@@ -615,7 +616,9 @@ def _str_abstractify(x):
 
 def _numpy_array_abstractify(x: np.ndarray) -> ShapedArray:
   dtype = x.dtype
-  dtypes.check_valid_dtype(dtype)
+  if not isinstance(dtype, np_dtypes.StringDType):  # type: ignore
+    dtypes.check_valid_dtype(dtype)
+
   return ShapedArray(x.shape,
       dtypes.canonicalize_dtype(dtype, allow_extended_dtype=True))
 _shaped_abstractify_handlers[np.ndarray] = _numpy_array_abstractify

jax/_src/interpreters/xla.py

@@ -20,17 +20,15 @@
 from functools import partial
 from typing import Any, Union
 
-import numpy as np
-
 from jax._src import core
 from jax._src import dtypes
 from jax._src.abstract_arrays import numpy_scalar_types
 from jax._src.core import ShapedArray
-from jax._src.util import safe_zip, safe_map
-
-from jax._src.typing import Shape
-
 from jax._src.lib import xla_client as xc
+from jax._src.typing import Shape
+from jax._src.util import safe_map, safe_zip
+import numpy as np
+import numpy.dtypes as np_dtypes
 
 map, unsafe_map = safe_map, map
 zip, unsafe_zip = safe_zip, zip
@@ -170,7 +168,8 @@ def _make_shaped_array_for_numpy_scalar(x: np.generic) -> ShapedArray:
 
 def _make_shaped_array_for_numpy_array(x: np.ndarray) -> ShapedArray:
   dtype = x.dtype
-  dtypes.check_valid_dtype(dtype)
+  if not isinstance(dtype, np_dtypes.StringDType):  # type: ignore
+    dtypes.check_valid_dtype(dtype)
   return ShapedArray(x.shape, dtypes.canonicalize_dtype(dtype))
 
 

jax/_src/numpy/lax_numpy.py

@@ -374,6 +374,10 @@ def load(file: IO[bytes] | str | os.PathLike[Any], *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) ->
   # Note: this will only work for files created via np.save(), not np.savez().
   out = np.load(file, *args, **kwargs)
   if isinstance(out, np.ndarray):
+
+    if out.dtype == np.object_:
+      return out
+
     # numpy does not recognize bfloat16, so arrays are serialized as void16
     if out.dtype == 'V2':
       out = out.view(bfloat16)
@@ -5575,6 +5579,16 @@ def array(object: Any, dtype: DTypeLike | None = None, copy: bool = True,
     # Keep the output uncommitted.
     return jax.device_put(object)
 
+  # 2DO: Comment.
+  if isinstance(object, np.ndarray) and (
+      object.dtype == np.dtypes.StringDType()
+  ):
+    if (ndmin > 0) and (ndmin != object.ndim):
+      raise TypeError(
+          f"ndmin {ndmin} does not match ndims {object.ndim} of input array"
+      )
+    return jax.device_put(x=object, device=device)
+
   # For Python scalar literals, call coerce_to_array to catch any overflow
   # errors. We don't use dtypes.is_python_scalar because we don't want this
   # triggering for traced values. We do this here because it matters whether or