ChatGPT and Beyond: Unleashing Large Language Models at Work
David Berglund
Strategy & Innovation Executive | AI & Data | Value Creation | Generative AI | Public Speaker
There is no denying that OpenAI's ChatGPT has set a new standard for AI applications across industries. While its adoption rates have steadied, business leaders recognize that generative AI platform will be (or is) an instrumental opportunity to bolster efficiency, enrich customer experiences, and bring about a personalized digital revolution.
Demystifying the AI Phenomenon
ChatGPT, a product of OpenAI, is a conversational AI service that leverages the power of Large Language Models (LLM), specifically, a Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT). Enabled by a combination of advancements in AI over the past half-decade, this technology combines the powers of LLM, chatbot technologies, and reinforcement learning to deliver human-like text responses.
The magic lies in the ability of generative AI to create new data that closely mimics a given dataset. For ChatGPT, the basis is a gigantic corpus of text data from the open internet (up to 2021), which it uses to generate its responses. Beyond language, generative AI finds applications in diverse domains, from audio and video to gaming and image creation.
Large language models, like ChatGPT, excel at understanding and generating human language. They grasp context, answer queries, follow instructions, translate languages, generate creative writing, and can even simulate conversations. While ChatGPT has been enjoying the limelight, other models such as Google's Bard, Anthropoic’s Claude model, and Meta's LLaMa are also notable contenders in the race to democratize advanced AI.
Decoding the HOW for Businesses
However, integrating ChatGPT or similar models into a business is not a plug-and-play solution. Concerns around business-specific context, data privacy, and system integration often arise. But, the promise of these technologies should not be ignored. The question then becomes, how should businesses harness the power of generative AI technologies?
Let's use the analogy of home-building to categorize generative AI adoption choices into three categories: move-in-ready, semi-custom, and custom build.
Predefined “Spec” House: Plug-n-Play
Off-the-shelf application that’s designed for a particular function in your organization.
Benefits:
Limitations:
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Semi-Custom: Configure & Tune
Tune a pre-existing LLMs, either closed-source or open-source, for your data & use-cases.
Benefits:
Limitations:
Custom Dream Home: Built from Scratch
Develop a unique model specifically designed with your proprietary data sets.
Benefits
Limitations
Choosing between these options hinges on your business goals, budget, timeline, and talent. Even within a single organization, a blend of these approaches could be the best fit. For instance, a bank may opt for a custom-build model for customer support leveraging their rich proprietary data but choose a move-in-ready solution for sales to reduce time-to-market and integration costs.
The field of generative AI is so dynamic that your options will likely continue to evolve and improve over time with the release of new models and applications. Remember, you can always start with a plug-n-play solution to gauge performance and potential before moving on to more sophisticated customization or building from scratch.
A Path Forward
Incorporating Generative AI and Large Language Models like ChatGPT into your business strategy could be transformative. Just keep in mind, it also warrants some careful thought and planning.
The focus should not be on directly integrating models like ChatGPT but instead on understanding the underlying technologies of LLMs and Generative AI. This knowledge will allow you to effectively match the solution options available to the needs of your specific use case.
As you chart the course for your business's AI journey, keep sight of your goal: creating an optimal portfolio of generative AI solutions custom-made to tackle your high-value business challenges.
The future of AI is here, and it's your time to seize the opportunity.