Imagine a vast library filled with millions of books on every conceivable topic. Now, picture a super-intelligent librarian who has read and memorized every single word in those books.
This librarian can answer any question you ask, translate languages, write creative content, and even summarize complex topics – all based on the knowledge absorbed from the books. That’s essentially what a Large Language Model (LLM) is – a powerful artificial intelligence (AI) system trained on an enormous amount of text data.
The Rise of ChatGPT
OpenAI privately launched the GPT-3 model in June 2020. At the time, it was only available to developers and businesses in a controlled environment. It wasn’t until November 30, 2022 that the public chat interface known as ChatGPT (power by the GPT-3.5 model) became available.
While AI research had been progressing for years, ChatGPT clearly showed LLMs were capable of engaging in freeform dialogue at a near-human level. This made the potential of AI explode from narrow business use cases to a general-purpose technology poised to transform every industry.
Following ChatGPT’s success, tech giants like Google and Microsoft rushed to release competing chatbots, while a wave of startups began harnessing LLMs for various applications.
What can LLMs do for you?
- Explain any topic to any target audience, for example: explain to a five-year-old why the sky is blue.
- Answering questions on a wide range of topics, drawing from their extensive knowledge base
- Summarizing long articles or complex topics into concise, easily digestible formats
- Translating text between multiple languages while maintaining meaning and tone
- Assisting with writing tasks, from creative storytelling to technical documentation
- Helping with coding and programming by generating code snippets and explaining concepts
What’s the easiest way to chat with an LLM?
Try the free ChatGPT app on iOS or Android. As your first prompt, try something like “tell me a fact i probably don’t know, then tell me how to teach my 5-year-old about it.”
Now that you know what an LLM is, come down the rabbit hole with me: LLM Fusion: Your $60 Research Supercomputer
LLM FAQ
How does an LLM like ChatGPT work?
Chat-based LLMs interact in a conversational manner by predicting and generating text based on the input they receive. They use patterns and information from their training data to construct responses that are coherent and contextually relevant to the user’s query.
What are the limitations to what LLMs can do?
They can sometimes generate incorrect or biased information, lack understanding of context beyond their training data, and may not handle very niche or novel topics well. They also do not possess personal experiences or emotions, which can affect their understanding of human-centric queries.
Is it safe to rely on LLMs for important tasks?
It is crucial to cross-verify their outputs, especially for critical tasks or decisions. They should ideally be used in conjunction with human oversight to ensure accuracy and ethical compliance.
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