How Do Generative AI Systems Work?

Summary: Generative AI systems are prediction machines. This article breaks down neural networks and LLMs in nontechnical language.

Want to understand how large language models (LLMs) work without getting too deep into the math? Read on for a greatly simplified explanation of a monstrously complex technical topic. I’m using metaphors to prioritize understanding rather than technical accuracy. For an even more in-depth explanation that’s still intended for nontechnical audiences, I recommend this article by Timothy B. Lee and Sean Trott.

High-Level Overview

Don’t want to read the whole article? Here’s a quick overview.

Large language models are probabilistic systems that attempt to predict word sequences . That’s what generative AI systems (genAI) do — they are making word-by-word predictions in the context of your prompt. LLMs are not fact databases; they statistically model how words tend to appear together based on their training data.