Natural Language Processing

Introduction Tokenizers are the unsung heroes of large language models (LLMs), converting raw text into numerical sequences that models can process. Without tokenization, LLMs couldn’t interpret human language, as they operate solely on numbers.[1][4][5] This comprehensive guide explores how tokenizers work, focusing on Byte Pair Encoding (BPE)—the dominant method in modern LLMs like GPT series—while covering fundamentals, algorithms, challenges, and practical implications.[3][5] Why Tokenization Matters in LLMs Tokens are the fundamental units—“atoms”—of LLMs. Everything from input processing to output generation happens in tokens.[3][5] Tokenization breaks text into discrete components, assigns each a unique ID, and maps it to an embedding vector for the model.[1][2][4] ...

Large Language Models have revolutionized artificial intelligence, enabling machines to understand and generate human-like text at scale. But not all LLMs are created equal. Understanding the different types, architectures, and approaches to LLM development is essential for developers and AI enthusiasts looking to leverage these powerful tools effectively. This comprehensive guide walks you through the landscape of Large Language Models, from foundational concepts to practical implementation strategies. Table of Contents What Are Large Language Models? Core LLM Architectures LLM Categories and Classifications Major LLM Families and Examples Comparing LLM Types: Strengths and Weaknesses Choosing the Right LLM for Your Use Case Practical Implementation Tips Top 10 Learning Resources What Are Large Language Models? A Large Language Model (LLM) is a deep learning algorithm trained on vast amounts of text data to understand, summarize, translate, predict, and generate human-like content.[3] These models represent one of the most significant breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, enabling applications from chatbots to code generation. ...