At our last AI SIG meeting, there was a questions about what is a LLM and how do they work? Here is a great 26 minute podcast that explains what is really going on in there...
Ever asked ChatGPT a question and felt like it understood you? Or marveled at how AI can write, explain, or even argue convincingly? With help from legendary computer scientist and Mathematica creator Stephen Wolfram,1440 editor-in-chief and host Sony Kassam unpacks how large language models really work—how they predict the next word, why they sometimes hallucinate, and what the mechanics reveal about intelligence, language, and humanity.
Guest: Stephen Wolfram, founder and CEO of Wolfram Research and creator of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha, and Wolfram Language
Background reading:
- What is ChatGPT doing and why does it work? https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2023/02/what-is-chatgpt-doing-and-why-does-it-work/
- Will AIs take all our jobs and end human history—or not? https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2023/03/will-ais-take-all-our-jobs-and-end-human-history-or-not-well-its-complicated/
- Generative AI space and the mental imagery of alien minds: https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2023/07/generative-ai-space-and-the-mental-imagery-of-alien-minds/
- All the best resources on the internet about LLMs: https://join1440.com/t/large-language-models
Podcast Explained:
A podcast is audio you listen to on your phone, computer, or tablet, similar to a radio program that you can play whenever you want. Instead of being live, it is pre-recorded, so you choose an episode and listen at your convenience.
Many podcasts focus on specific interests, including genealogy, where people discuss family history research, records, and personal stories. Most are free and can be found in apps like Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or directly on websites.