In the past few years, Large Language Models (LLMs) have completely changed how we understand and generate natural language. These sophisticated Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, including OpenAI’s GPT, Google’s LaMDA, Meta AI’s LLaMa, and Anthropic’s Claude, have revolutionized human-computer interactions. [1] They have been trained using huge amounts of data, which explains why they can comprehend and interpret human language so flawlessly.

Thanks to their powerful computational capabilities and proficiency in understanding, analyzing, and generating human language, large Language Models have unlocked many applications across a wide range of industries. From sentiment analysis, content generation, and language translation to text classification and document summarization, large language models are transforming our lives and shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

As a result, LLMs have become increasingly popular, with nearly 40% of organizations planning to train and customize these models to meet their business needs. [2] Some of the companies that have already adopted large language models in their operations include Netflix, The New York Times, Walmart, Stellantis, and many others.

If you’re looking to integrate LLMs into your company infrastructure, read on for an in-depth review of these technologies. We’ll discuss some of the most common LLM use cases, how they work, and the real-life problems they solve.

What are large language models (LLMs)?

Large language models (LLMs) are basically advanced AI systems ideally designed to understand, process, translate, predict, and generate human-like text. At their core, LLMs are based on deep learning and machine learning (ML) techniques and are trained using huge amounts of data from various sources, such as books, websites, and articles. Thanks to this extensive training, LLMs are able to easily understand various aspects of natural language grammar, context, and even general language.

To make large language models more suitable for various Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks, an application typically accepts prompts from a user and then provides them as input to an LLM. These prompts can be in the form of a question, description, instruction, or any other text sequence. Afterward, the large language model decides the specific information to be returned to the user while the application uses this information to generate a response.

Modern large language models emerged in 2017, and they use advanced neural network architectures known as transformers. [3] That said, there are two vital innovations that make transformers particularly suitable for large language models: self-attention and positional encoding.

Positional encoding is a technique used in NLP to represent the words’ absolute or relative position within a given sequence. Thanks to this technique, you can non-sequentially feed words into the neural network instead of following a particular sequence.

On the other hand, self-attention is a mechanism that allows an LLM to decide how important every part of an input is compared to the rest of the sequence. This means that LLMs do not need to focus on all inputs. Instead, these models can focus on only parts of the input that actually matter in natural language processing. Basically, the self-attention mechanism makes it easier to find dependencies and connections in a given dataset.

As large language models become more sophisticated and refined, their place in the business world has become increasingly apparent. These models offer businesses worldwide powerful tools to streamline text-related tasks and improve their internal workflows.

How large language models (LLMs) work

Here is a simplified step-by-step guide on how large language models (LLMs) work:

Training

Large language models (LLMs) must be trained using a large volume of data, also known as a corpus. This data comes from various sites on the internet, including GitHub and Wikipedia. Notably, the amount of data used to train an LLM varies depending on various factors such as the model design, the type of data being used, the type of job the model needs to do, and how well you want the model to perform. The data can amount to terabytes (TB) or petabytes (PB) in size.

The training of LLMs usually takes place in multiple steps, including unsupervised and self-supervised learning approaches. During the unsupervised learning phase, LLMs are trained on unstructured and unlabeled data. [4] This allows the models to derive relationships and correlations between different words and concepts. During the self-supervised learning (SSL) phase, a portion of the data is labeled to enable an LLM to identify different concepts accurately. This way, the model can easily tell apart one part of the input from another. [5]

Fine-tuning

Once LLMs have been pre-trained, they’re fine-tuned to perform various tasks by training them on smaller task-specific datasets. The main idea behind fine-tuning a large language model is to improve its performance on certain tasks. [6]

Deep learning and transformer architecture

As an LLM goes through the transformer neural network architecture, it undergoes deep learning. Using the self-attention mechanism, this transformer architecture enables the LLM to understand and recognize the relationships and connections between various words and concepts.

Practical use

Once the LLM has been trained and fine-tuned, it can now be used for practical purposes. Every time you query an LLM, it will generate a response, which can be an answer to your question, newly generated text, summarized text, or even a sentiment analysis report.

Unlock unlimited LLM’s possibilities with Generative AI development company. Reach out to us and transform your business with cutting-edge technology.

LLM use cases and applications

As aforementioned, large language models have found applications in various industries, revolutionizing the way humans interact with technology and unlocking many possibilities. Here is a curated list of some of the top use cases of large language models (LLMs):

Content generation

Generating unique content based on prompts provided by a user is undoubtedly one of the main use cases of LLMs. In this setting, the main objective is to improve the productivity of knowledge workers or simply to do away with the need to include humans in this process altogether if the task at hand is simple enough.

LLMs can generate all sorts of content, including product descriptions, articles, webpages, short stories, reports, social media posts, questionnaires, surveys, captions, blog posts, and marketing copies. In some cases, popular LLMs such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and GPT-3 can be used to draft emails, newsletters, memos, letters, and other communication materials within an organization.

Moreover, LLMs can help generate unique content ideas and outlines by simply analyzing existing content and trending topics. This way, content creators and organizations can develop fresh and relevant content that resonates with their target audience and customers, respectively. In addition to text generation, LLMs can also be used to perform other tasks. For example, LLMs like DALL-E and MidJourney generate images based on text descriptions, while Whisper transcribes audio files into text.

Notably, the quality of output generated by LLMs depends on the details provided in the initial prompt. Most importantly, content generated by large language models should be carefully reviewed and edited by humans. This is because while some LLMs excel at generating text, they can still produce errors or incomplete content that requires additional context. Therefore, human involvement is vital in ensuring the generated content is accurate and aligns with the organization’s guidelines.

Language translation

Large language models have helped revolutionize the field of language translation. LLMs trained in multiple languages can easily translate text from one language to another. These models have helped break down language barriers and facilitate global communication. This feature is particularly useful in real-life situations such as international conferences, customer support, and live conversations among people who speak different languages.

LLMs such as Google Translate, and Microsoft Translator have been ideally trained to translate between major languages such as English, Chinese, Arabic, French, and Spanish, as well as other lesser-known languages.

Thanks to LLMs’ language translation proficiency, companies can easily communicate with global customers and expand into new markets. Some LLMs can also translate textbooks and other educational materials into different languages, allowing students worldwide to access educational materials in their native languages.

However, it’s worth noting that large language models may still have some limitations regarding language translation. In some cases, these models may not include words or phrases used in different parts of the globe. It’s also not unheard of for LLMs to have difficulties translating lesser-known languages.

Sentiment analysis

One of the most fascinating applications of LLMs is sentiment analysis. Some models have been well-trained to recognize and understand the emotion, sentiment, attitude, and intention present in a writer’s text. This feature allows companies to gain insights from customer feedback. By analyzing social media posts, customer reviews, social media comments, and other textual data, large language models can understand the sentiment expressed by customers towards products, services, or brand experiences.

Sentiment analysis helps businesses understand their customers’ satisfaction levels, promptly address various concerns, and identify specific areas that need improvement. By using LLMs for sentiment analysis, companies can improve their products and services accordingly, make more informed marketing decisions, and take the necessary steps to improve customer experience.

Question-answering systems

Question-answering systems are an application of large language models that enable users to obtain specific information by simply asking questions in natural language. These systems utilize a combination of ‘Search’ and ‘Summarize’ capabilities to provide accurate and relevant answers to a wide variety of queries provided by users.

Question-answering systems usually work by analyzing the input question provided by the user and its intent and then returning a relevant set of information from a vast knowledge base. Afterward, these systems utilize one large language model to summarize the information into one simple answer.

One of the biggest benefits of question-answering systems powered by LLMs is that they can provide meaningful answers to simple and complex questions asked by customers in real time. Such capabilities can help companies improve customer service and customer support outcomes. Additionally, they help analysts gain insights more easily and make the sales team more efficient.

Search results

Search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, Yandex, Baidu, and DuckDuckGo play an important role in helping users find relevant information on the internet. [7] Generally, traditional search engines rely on keyword-based algorithms and knowledge graphs to provide information that is relevant to what the user is asking for. While this approach is majorly successful, it may also fail in some instances.

Thanks to advancements in large language models, it’s now possible to improve the performance of search engines and the accuracy of their search results. LLMs are capable of analyzing the context, sentiment, and user preferences to yield more precise search results. This is particularly important in instances where people use long queries, conversational prompts, and explicit questions to find relevant information on the internet.

Large language models can also analyze a user’s search history and contextual information to ensure more personalized search experiences. This personalized approach goes a long way in improving user satisfaction and helping people find information most relevant to their specific needs.

For this reason, the search box found in various websites and applications is expected to become smarter and more creative in the coming days. Additionally, features such as recommendations, conversation AI, classification, and many others will also become doable. In fact, leading search engines such as Google and Bing have already started using LLMs to offer better search results.

Text summarization

As the volume of data increases worldwide, it has become increasingly important for people to generate concise summaries of different data sources such as articles, reports, audio, books, videos, earnings calls, and other materials. Luckily, large language models can do this. They can be used to perform both abstractive and extractive summarization.

Abstractive summarization is a technique in which LLMs generate new sentences to represent the information contained in the larger original text. On the other hand, extractive summarization is a technique where LLMs combine existing sentences from a long text to create a concise summary. Both techniques allow users to quickly grasp the key points of a given text without actually having to read through the entire thing.

With the help of LLMs’ excellent text summarization capabilities, stakeholders in companies can stay informed in the event of information overload. This way, they can focus on new ideas and save the time and effort that would have otherwise been spent sorting through long texts. [8]

Read more about Large Language Models in Document Analysis: Extracting Insights from Unstructured Data

Extract and expand

Large language models combine various techniques such as syntactic parsing, text preprocessing, part-of-speech tagging, and even machine learning algorithms to complete effective extraction and expansion tasks. These models extract information from large amounts of unstructured data such as emails, customer reviews, social media posts, invoices, and resume databases.

To achieve better information extraction (IE), LLMs identify key entities such as people’s names, locations, addresses, events, and organizations and extract information regarding their properties and relationships.

In addition to information extraction, large language models can also be used to expand on existing content by generating additional sentences and paragraphs. When it comes to expansion, these models utilize semantic similarity and text generation capabilities to generate additional content related to the original text. This feature is particularly important in areas like creative creation and marketing.

SEO optimization

SEO optimization is one of the most popular LLM use cases that have been around for a significant amount of time. A large language model can help optimize content for search engines by performing a wide variety of valuable tasks.

For example, large language models can suggest relevant keywords to enhance the visibility of a company’s content in search results. These modes can also improve meta descriptions and tags to attract more traffic to a company’s website and hopefully increase conversion rates.

Additionally, users have been adopting LLMs to provide related terms and trending topics. This has helped many companies create content that aligns with popular topics and engages more users. Generally, incorporating the recommendations of a large language model into your SEO strategies can help enhance your website’s visibility and increase the amount of time potential customers spend on it.

Content moderation

In addition to generating and summarizing content, large language models are crucial in automated content moderation. Companies can deploy these models to review and monitor user-generated content in various online platforms to ensure compliance with industry standards and guidelines. They can be used to detect and remove inappropriate content, offensive language, hate speech, and even spam to ensure a safe online environment for all users. [9]

Depending on the approach you use, LLMs can automatically remove offensive or inappropriate content or flag it for further review as per the predefined content moderation guidelines and standards. Although LLMs provide much-needed support in automated content moderation, human involvement is still vital, especially when dealing with complex cases.

Clustering

LLMs can be useful for grouping documents based on the content they contain. With the help of large language models’ clustering capabilities, content providers can easily organize content in an easy-to-consume manner, thus boosting engagement. As with most LLM use cases on this list, clustering mainly relies on understanding the underlying themes and concepts contained in a given text.

By utilizing a large language model for clustering, data professionals and companies can gain valuable insights, identify underlying patterns, and navigate through massive amounts of data with ease. LLMs such as OpenAI’s Embeddings, Cohere Embed, and Azure Embeddings usually generate text embeddings that can be used as the basis for clustering tasks.

Fraud detection

Another interesting application of LLMs is detecting fraud. A large language model analyzes large datasets collected throughout a company’s network, spotting patterns that indicate financial fraud, and generating alerts in real-time. By monitoring incoming financial transactions and customer interactions, these models can easily identify suspicious patterns such as an increase in transaction volumes, unusual communication patterns, and a recent spike in high-value transactions from unverified sources.

Once these anomalies have been detected, the model will generate an alert to prompt immediate investigation and action from the company stakeholders. Additionally, some LLMs are capable of assigning risk scores to various financial transactions and accounts to determine the likelihood of fraud. In the finance, retail, and e-commerce industries, LLMs have been crucial in identifying fraudulent financial activities such as money laundering, credit card fraud, identity theft, and inside trading. [10]

Challenges facing large language models (LLMs)

Despite the many benefits LLMs offer to organizations in different industries, there are still several challenges to overcome before these models achieve widespread acceptance and adoption. Some of these challenges come from within the models themselves, while others are associated with their applications.

These challenges include:

High developmental and operation costs

Due to the huge amounts of data and many parameters needed to train LLM adequately, developing these models is quite expensive. Even after these models have been trained, they still need to run on expensive Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), further inflating the operational costs.

Bias

The data used to train a large language model will greatly impact the model’s output. Therefore, the resulting LLM will also be biased if the unlabeled training data is biased.

Hallucinations

For LLMs that generate text, it’s not unheard of for them to generate false information within their responses. This usually happens when the model doesn’t have the relevant information it needs to generate an accurate response based on the user’s needs. Although sometimes this is merely comical, it can pose a real risk, especially among people who assume these responses are accurate and end up acting on them.

Consent

Most large language models are trained on huge amounts of datasets from the internet, some of which may not have been obtained consensually. In fact, most LLMs have been reported to ignore copyright licenses and plagiarize content from original owners without getting permission. As a result, these models may produce results that can easily expose users to copyright infringement issues.

Final thoughts

It’s quite fascinating just how fast LLMs have emerged as powerful tools for content generation and Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks. As the versatility and capabilities of these models continue to evolve, companies in different industries have been presented with unique opportunities to improve the productivity and efficiency of their internal workflows.

However, as LLMs continue to advance, it’s equally important to monitor their usage and consider all ethical concerns, data privacy issues, and potential biases raised. This will help ensure the responsible implementation of these AI systems in all business settings.

References

[1] Techtarget.com. 12 of the Best LLM Models. URL: https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/12-of-the-best-large-language-models. Accessed September 27, 2023
[2] Expert.ai. Nearly 40 of Enterprises Surveyed by Expert AI Are Planning to Build Customized Enterprise Language Models. URL:  https://www.expert.ai/nearly-40-of-enterprises-surveyed-by-expert-ai-are-planning-to-build-customized-enterprise-language-models/. Accessed September 27, 2023
[3] Scribbledata.io. LLMs history, Evolutions and Features. URL: https://www.scribbledata.io/large-language-models-history-evolutions-and-future/. Accessed September 27, 2023
[4] IBM.com. Unsupervised Learning. URL: https://www.ibm.com/topics/unsupervised-learning. Accessed September 27, 2023
[5] Neptune.ai. Supervised Learning. URL: https://neptune.ai/blog/self-supervised-learning. Accessed September 27, 2023
[6] Towardsdatascience.com. Fine Tuning LLMs. URL: https://bit.ly/46teDSi. Accessed September 27, 2023
[7] Hubspot.com. Top Search Engines. URL: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/top-search-engines. Accessed September 27, 2023
[8] Coverwallet.com. Text Summarization for Business. URL: https://www.coverwallet.com/expert-insights/nlp-text-summarization-for-businesses.  Accessed September 27, 2023
[9] Appen.com. Content Moderation. URL: https://appen.com/blog/content-moderation/.  Accessed September 27, 2023
[10] Aura.com. Types of Financial Frauds. URL: https://www.aura.com/learn/types-of-financial-frauds. Accessed September 27, 2023

The post LLM use cases: Integrating the LLM into company infrastructure to improve internal workflows appeared first on Addepto.