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Home: How language models work

07Book 02 · Chapter 07 of 07· 5 min · Tone sits on the same list as facts

The first word can refuse

So far we’ve been working with next that are answers or nonsense. But things like “I don’t know” and “I can’t help with that” are also possible answers to many questions, along with things like changes of subject or .

For six chapters the next word was a place: Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart — or, if the was wild, a cannibalistic dingo. That was a simple and silly example. But a real list of possible / words would include many more choices.

And some of those choices would include things like “I’m not sure,” “Well,” or even “I can’t help with that.” Those pieces would compete with other , just the same as any other.

Answers like that are not a special off switch. They are just next words — or pieces of words — waiting in that sample group that will ultimately be “spun” on the wheel.

If “I can’t help with that” is 58% and Canberra is 12%, then…

  • … writes the refusal every time.
  • … writes it often.
  • …top-k set to 2 can throw Canberra off the wheel entirely, the way it threw zzqxt off a few pages ago.
Same question. The list is not only cities. Switch the shape of the list, then write the first word.

What is the capital of Australia?

█ first word of the reply

  • Canberra62%
  • Sydney16%
  • I'm not sure10%
  • Well,8%
  • I can't help4%

Quiz

6 questions

Before moving forward, test your knowledge of what you’ve just learned!

  1. 1.A refusal is:

  2. 2.After “What is the capital of Australia?”, the list can include:

  3. 3.If “I can’t help” is 58% and Canberra is 12%, greedy writes:

  4. 4.A careful hedge like “I’m not sure” is:

  5. 5.A wild temperature can:

  6. 6.Besides a right city, a wrong city, or nonsense, the next token can also be:

0 of 6 answered

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