Large Language Models (LLMs) represent a domain of artificial intelligence that has seen remarkable growth over the past three years. ChatGPT has transformed LLMs into a global phenomenon. These models are trained with vast datasets and demonstrate impressive skills in natural language processing (NLP) tasks like question answering, text generation, translation, and summarization. LLMs belong to the broader field of generative AI (GenAI), which is multi-modal, encompassing not only text but also image, sound, and video creation.
LLMs and GenAI are significantly impacting the IT industry as major tech companies adjust their research agendas and business strategies to integrate these new technologies. Organizations are striving to harness potential economic benefits of LLM/GenAI while mitigating risks of leakage of sensitive personal or intellectual property data.
The evolution of GenAI is rapidly changing business practices, regulations, and technology. The ethical debates surrounding it are intense, as GenAI poses potential threats to jobs and can be used to generate malware and facilitate disinformation campaigns.
There is considerable SHAT talked in discussions about LLM/GenAI. SHAT, for Scare-mongering, Hyperbole, AI-washing (falsely claiming the use of AI to enhance a product's appeal), and Trivialization, often colors these discussions.
The aim of this blog is to gather and present articles that discuss the advancements of these technologies in a factual manner.
To do the technology watch, we use a tool called Flowatcher to help identify interesting articles. The main types of sources in Flowatcher are RSS feeds (e.g., Substack), Twitter (now X) accounts and on-line journals (e.g., TechCrunch). Search-engines and portals are also used as sources in Flowatcher, which leads it to articles from the general press (e.g., Forbes, New York Times, Washington Post) to technical journals and magazines.
Flowatcher was developed at the Haute Ecole de Gestion (HEG) of the Applied University of Western Switzerland (HES-SO).
Ciaran Bryce is a researcher and developer in the area of cybersecurity and IT governance. He participated in a Cyber-defense Campus project on the impact of LLM/GenAI on cyber-defense.