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arXiv:2304.00612cs.CL

Eight Things to Know about Large Language Models

Samuel R. Bowman

Abstract

The widespread public deployment of large language models (LLMs) in recent months has prompted a wave of new attention and engagement from advocates, policymakers, and scholars from many fields. This attention is a timely response to the many urgent questions that this technology raises, but it can sometimes miss important considerations. This paper surveys the evidence for eight potentially surprising such points: 1. LLMs predictably get more capable with increasing investment, even without targeted innovation. 2. Many important LLM behaviors emerge unpredictably as a byproduct of increasing investment. 3. LLMs often appear to learn and use representations of the outside world. 4. There are no reliable techniques for steering the behavior of LLMs. 5. Experts are not yet able to interpret the inner workings of LLMs. 6. Human performance on a task isn't an upper bound on LLM performance. 7. LLMs need not express the values of their creators nor the values encoded in web text. 8. Brief interactions with LLMs are often misleading.

arXiv comments
Journal reference
DOI
Subjects
cs.CLComputation and Language cs.AIArtificial Intelligence

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Linked by 3 identifiable commenters in 4 comments across 4 threads, from Apr 2023 to Nov 2023. Found in 3 HN submissions from Apr 2023 to Aug 2026. Open submission discussions.

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Discussed in comments4 threads

    • This made me think there is more to it than stochastic completion: Bowman, Samuel R. “Eight Things to Know about Large Language Models,” April 2, 2023. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2304.00612.

      TomteView on HNParent context

  1. GitHub Copilot emits GPL code 1 comment
    • It seems to me, from a copyright perspective, all commercial use of generative AI depends on whether the output is transformative fair use (vs derived work). While the courts will have its say, ultimately whether new rules are carved out or not is going to be again (as all…

      lhlView on HNParent context

    • I disagree. ChatGPT n that are currently "disruptive". Disruptive to the point that I already have colleagues who get close to palpitations if they can't access it. Within mere weeks or a few months their entire modus operandi has changed. There are major issues (1) with LLM…

      gerdesjView on HNParent context

    • If you (or anyone else is) interested in the topic, I'd highly recommend giving some of these a look: Bubeck, Sébastien, Varun Chandrasekaran, Ronen Eldan, Johannes Gehrke, Eric Horvitz, Ece Kamar, Peter Lee, et al. “Sparks of Artificial General Intelligence: Early Experiments…

      lhlView on HNParent context

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