Should AI models be like Swiss Army knives, versatile and handy in a variety of scenarios? Or do we prefer them as precision tools, finely tuned for specific tasks? In the world of artificial intelligence, and natural language processing specifically, this is an ongoing debate. The question boils down to whether models trained for specific tasks are more effective at these tasks than general models. Task-specific models: specialization and customization In my last blog post , we looked at the rise of personalized LLMs, customized for specific users. Personalized LLMs can be seen as an extreme form of task-specific model. Fans of task-specific models stress that these kinds of models are better suited for tasks involving confidential or proprietary data. This is obviously true. But some people also believe that specialized models necessarily perform better in their specific domains. It may sound logical, but the ans...
“I wanna be software / The best design / Infinite princess / Computer mind” – Recent tweet by Grimes (singer and on/off girlfriend of Elon Musk) A lot has been made of the FDA’s recent go-ahead for human clinical trials for Elon Musk’s Neuralink . This marks a significant achievement for Musk’s brain-implant startup. Neuralink, founded in 2016, has the potential to greatly improve the quality of life of individuals with disabilities. However, Musk also envisions it being used to enhance the cognitive abilities of “anyone who wants” in the medium term. A network of ultra-thin electrodes implanted in the brain will allow for seamless information exchange between humans and machines.(Physicist Stephen Hawking, who lost his ability to speak and ultimately died from ALS in 2018, believed that brain-computer interfaces would be the future of communication.) Eventually, however, Musk sees Neuralink offering a pathway to ...