fbpx
Learn to build large language model applications: vector databases, langchain, fine tuning and prompt engineering. Learn more

Large language models: A beginner’s guide to 2023’s top technology

Ruhma Khawaja author
Ruhma Khawaja

June 20

The buzz surrounding large language models is wreaking havoc and for all the good reason! The game-changing technological marvels have got everyone talking and have to be topping the charts in 2023.

What are large language models?

A large language model (LLM) is a machine learning model capable of performing various natural language processing (NLP) tasks, including text generation, text classification, question answering in conversational settings, and language translation. The term “large” in this context refers to the model’s extensive set of parameters, which are the values it can autonomously adjust during the learning process. Some highly successful LLMs possess hundreds of billions of these parameters.

LLMs undergo training with vast amounts of data and utilize self-supervised learning to predict the next token in a sentence based on its context. They can be used to perform a variety of tasks, including: 

  • Natural language understanding: LLMs can understand the meaning of text and code, and can answer questions about it. 
  • Natural language generation: LLMs can generate text that is similar to human-written text. 
  • Translation: LLMs can translate text from one language to another. 
  • Summarization: LLMs can summarize text into a shorter, more concise version. 
  • Question answering: LLMs can answer questions about text. 
  • Code generation: LLMs can generate code, such as Python or Java code. 
Understanding Large Language Models
Understanding Large Language Models

Best examples of large language models

Let’s explore a range of noteworthy large language models that have made waves in the field:

1. BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers)

BERT is a revolutionary transformer-based model that underwent extensive pre-training on vast amounts of text data. Its prowess lies in natural language processing (NLP) tasks like sentiment analysis, question-answering, and text classification.

2. GPT-3 (Generative Pretrained Transformer 3)

OpenAI’s flagship creation, GPT-3, stands tall as one of the most advanced AI models worldwide. Trained on massive text datasets, it boasts an exceptional ability to generate human-like responses across diverse topics, retaining an extensive conversational memory.

3. XLM-R (Cross-lingual Language Model – RoBERTa)

Facebook AI Research’s transformer-based behemoth, XLM-R, takes multilingual capabilities to new heights. It undergoes pre-training on colossal multilingual text corpora and excels in NLP tasks such as text classification, machine translation, and question-answering.

4. Whisper

OpenAI’s Whisper enters the scene as a powerful automatic speech recognition (ASR) system. Its training on a staggering 680,000 hours of diverse and multilingual data empowers it to transcribe speech in multiple languages and perform English translations with improved accuracy, even amidst accents, background noise, and technical jargon.

5. T5 (Text-to-Text Transfer Transformer)

Developed by Google Research, T5 proves its mettle as a versatile large language model. It tackles various NLP tasks like text generation, summarization, and translation through the magic of transfer learning, adapting its capabilities to different contexts.

6. M2M-100 (Multilingual Machine Translation 100):

A marvel in multilingual translation, M2M-100 obliterates language barriers. With training encompassing an astonishing 2,200 language directions, this model achieves remarkable translation accuracy across 100 languages without relying on English-centric data.

7. MPNet (Masked and Permuted Language Modeling Pre-training Network):

MPNet introduces a novel approach to language model pre-training. By combining masked language modeling (MLM) and permuted language modeling (PLM), it takes token dependency into account, building upon BERT’s classification methodologies.

As we assess these models’ performance and capabilities, it’s crucial to acknowledge their specificity for particular NLP tasks. The choice of the optimal model depends on the task at hand. Large language models exhibit impressive proficiency across various NLP domains and hold immense potential for transforming customer engagement, operational efficiency, and beyond.  

What are some of the benefits of LLMs? 

LLMs have a number of benefits over traditional AI methods. They are able to understand the meaning of text and code in a much more sophisticated way. This allows them to perform tasks that would be difficult or impossible for traditional AI methods. LLMs are also able to generate text that is very similar to human-written text. This makes them ideal for applications such as chatbots and translation tools.   

Applications for large language models

1. Streamlining language generation in IT:

Discover how generative AI can elevate IT teams by optimizing processes and delivering innovative solutions. Witness its potential in:

  • Recommending and creating knowledge articles and forms
  • Updating and editing knowledge repositories
  • Real-time translation of knowledge articles, forms, and employee communications
  • Crafting product documentation effortlessly

2. Boosting efficiency with language summarization

Explore how generative AI can revolutionize IT support teams, automating tasks and expediting solutions. Experience its benefits in:

  • Extracting topics, symptoms, and sentiments from IT tickets
  • Clustering IT tickets based on relevant topics
  • Generating narratives from analytics
  • Summarizing IT ticket solutions and lengthy threads
  • Condensing phone support transcripts and highlighting critical solutions

3. Unleashing code and data generation potential

Witness the transformative power of generative AI in IT infrastructure and chatbot development, saving time by automating laborious tasks such as:

  • Suggesting conversation flows and follow-up patterns
  • Generating training data for conversational AI systems
  • Testing knowledge articles and forms for relevance
  • Assisting in code generation for repetitive snippets from online sources


Future possibilities of LLMs

The future possibilities of LLMs are very exciting. They have the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with computers. They could be used to create new types of applications, such as chatbots that can understand and respond to natural language, or translation tools that can translate text with near-human accuracy. 

LLMs could also be used to improve our understanding of the world. They could be used to analyze large datasets of text and code and to identify patterns and trends that would be difficult or impossible to identify with traditional methods.

Wrapping up 

LLMs represent a highly potent and promising technology that presents numerous possibilities for various applications. While still in the development phase, these models have the capacity to fundamentally transform our interactions with computers.

Data Science Dojo specializes in delivering a diverse array of services aimed at enabling organizations to harness the capabilities of Large Language Models. Leveraging our extensive expertise and experience, we provide customized solutions that perfectly align with your specific needs and goals.

Check out —>  Large Language Models Bootcamp by Data Science Dojo

Register today

Ruhma Khawaja author
Written by Ruhma Khawaja
Interested in writing for us? Apply here: Submit your guest post with us
Newsletters | Data Science Dojo
Up for a Weekly Dose of Data Science?

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter & stay up-to-date with current data science news, blogs, and resources.

Data Science Dojo | data science for everyone

Discover more from Data Science Dojo

Subscribe to get the latest updates on AI, Data Science, LLMs, and Machine Learning.