What are LLMs, and how are they used in generative AI?
The Key Technologies Fuelling Chatbot Evolution
Most of us are familiar with chatbots on customer service portals, government departments, and through services like Google Bard and OpenAI's ChatGPT. They are convenient, easy to use, and always available, leading to their growing use for a diverse range of applications across the web.
Unfortunately, most current chatbots are limited due to their reliance on static training data. Data outputted by these systems can be obsolete, limiting our ability to gain real-time information for our queries. They also struggle with contextual understanding, inaccuracies, handling complex queries, and limited adaptability to our evolving needs.
To overcome these issues, advanced techniques like Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) have emerged. By leveraging various external information sources, including real-time data collected from the open web, RAG systems can augment their knowledge base in real time, providing more accurate and contextually relevant responses to users' queries to enhance their overall performance and adaptability.
Chatbots: challenges and limitationsCurrent chatbots employ various technologies to handle training and inference tasks, including natural language processing (NLP) techniques, machine learning algorithms, neural networks, and frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch. They rely on rule-based systems, sentiment analysis, and dialog management modules to interpret user input, generate appropriate responses, and maintain the flow of conversation.
However, as mentioned previously, these chatbots face several challenges. Limited contextual understanding often results in generic or irrelevant responses because static training datasets may fail to capture the diversity of real-world conversations.
Furthermore, without real-time data integration, chatbots may experience "hallucinations" and inaccuracies. They also struggle with handling complex queries that require deeper contextual understanding and lack adaptability to open knowledge, evolving trends, and user preferences.
Improving the chatbot experience with RAGRAG merges generative AI with information retrieval from external sources on the open web. This approach significantly improves contextual understanding, accuracy, and relevance in AI models. Moreover, information in the RAG system's knowledge base can be dynamically updated, making them highly adaptable and scalable.
RAG utilises various technologies, which can be categorised into distinct groups: frameworks and tools, semantic analysis, vector databases, similarity search, and privacy/security applications. Each of these components plays a crucial role in enabling RAG systems to effectively retrieve and generate contextually relevant information while maintaining privacy and security measures.
By leveraging a combination of these technologies, RAG systems can enhance their capabilities in understanding and responding to user queries with accuracy and efficiency, thereby facilitating more engaging and informative interactions.
The frameworks and toolsFrameworks and associated tools provide a structured environment for developing and deploying retrieval-augmented generation models efficiently. They offer pre-built modules and tools for data retrieval, model training, and inference, streamlining the development process and reducing implementation complexity.
Additionally, frameworks facilitate collaboration and standardisation within the research community, enabling researchers to share models, reproduce results, and advance the field of RAG more rapidly.
Some frameworks currently in use include:
Vector databases efficiently store high-dimensional vector representations of public web data, enabling fast and scalable retrieval of relevant information. By organising text data as vectors in a continuous vector space, vector databases facilitate semantic search and similarity comparisons, enhancing the accuracy and relevance of generated responses in RAG systems.
Additionally, vector databases support dynamic updates and adaptability, allowing RAG models to continuously integrate new information from the web and improve their knowledge base over time.
Some popular vector databases are Pinecone, Weaviate, Milvus, Neo4j, and Qdrant. They can process high-dimensional data for RAG systems that require complex vector operations.
Semantic analysis, similarity search, and securitySemantic analysis and similarity enable RAG systems to understand the context of user queries and retrieve relevant information from vast datasets. By analysing the meaning and relationships between words and phrases, semantic analysis tools ensure that RAG applications generate contextually relevant responses. Similarly, similarity search algorithms are used to identify documents or data parts that would help the LLM to answer the query more accurately by giving it wider context.
Semantic analysis and similarity search tools used in RAG systems include:
Last but not least, privacy and security tools are essential for RAG in order to protect sensitive user data and ensure trust in AI systems. By incorporating privacy-enhancing technologies like encryption and access controls, RAG systems can safeguard user information during data retrieval and processing.
Additionally, robust security measures prevent unauthorised access or manipulation of RAG models and the data they handle, mitigating the risk of data breaches or misuse.
Emerging technologies used by RAG systems mark a notable leap forward in the use of responsible AI, aiming to enhance chatbot functionality significantly. By seamlessly integrating web data collection and generation capabilities, RAG facilitates superior contextual understanding, real-time web data access, and adaptability in responses.
This integration holds promise in revolutionising interactions with AI-powered systems, promising more intelligent, context-aware, and dependable experiences as RAG continues to evolve and refine its capabilities.
Asking The Right Questions
COVER STORY
Is it just me or do people analyse their conversations once they are finished? You know, going through it again in mind, thinking of better words that could have conveyed what they wanted in a better way? After the person has moved on, it's just me overthinking what I just said to them, like pretty much everything else, editing, proofing, until it becomes this perfect copy ready to be delivered. But, yes there's a catch, real conversations don't happen like that, do they? They're spontaneous. Which is both exciting and, well, for those who are shy like I am, intimidating. Imagine being intimidated by something as simple as striking a conversation. Fearing what comes so naturally to those around me (I'm assuming here). How do you get a message across, or, in worst case scenarios, how do you acknowledge what you're feeling because you are unable to communicate effectively with even yourself!
The good thing here is individuals are ever evolving. They aren't meant to be stagnant in one place or condition. They seek to improve in order to lead the life they want and deserve! And that's what I strive to do, too. Every day. I don't mind asking for help from those who are obviously good at what I 'lack', but a lot of times these 'suggestions' and 'motivational talks' got me nowhere.
I came across an accelerated learning strategy for the detection and utilisation of patterns in the world: Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) – neuro from neurology; linguistic(s) for language; and programming refers to how the system of neurology and language works in our brain. This seemed good, almost like I would be learning the language of my mind!
Just like every new field, NLP training and coaching is still an emerging field in Pakistan, despite having started in the 80s in the west. Only now people in Pakistan are inclining towards learning/knowing mind-sciences, some perhaps more interested in investing in themselves, their own mental and psychological growth. Since it's expensive, you don't want to go uninformed. Arslan Larik, Certified Master Coach & Trainer by the American Board of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Timeline Therapy, Hypnosis, and ICF, and a passionate entrepreneur with a strong belief in the power of empathy, breaks it down for Us.
Clearing misconceptions
Before we understand what NLP is, let's take a look at what it's not.
Myth #1: NLP is mind control and manipulative.
Fact: I haven't seen anyone control someone else using NLP even though you can use NLP to influence other people. Most of the time people can't even control themselves.
NLP can enable you to get into rapport with other people and their unconscious mind, and then you can increase your ability to impact and influence them. The more you can connect with someone unconsciously the more you will be able to influence them. I was teaching at an NLP training once and I had this real estate agent, Y, who was interested in closing more sales. I had Y walk me through how he showed open houses to prospective buyers. I really had some aha moments as I realised he was not connecting enough to his prospects' emotions. By making some minor tweaks to his sales process through using NLP techniques the training was more successful. That's not mind control; NLP is about connecting with people at an emotional or unconscious level, outside of their conscious awareness.
Myth #2: NLP does not or will not work for me
Fact: I know that some people who have studied or experienced NLP have had an experience of trying a technique and not getting the result they wanted.
One of the key skills in NLP is being able to tailor your actions and behaviours. We call this "behavioural flexibility". This means you have to watch, observe and listen for clues that tell you what's going on for you or for the person you are attempting to influence. Once you use your perceptual or sensory skills you can adjust your approach accordingly.
You are probably already getting great results in some or many areas of your life. You are using approaches and strategies you may not even be aware of that are working well for you. NLP helps you have a better understanding of how things work for you and those you are working with and how to make them work even better. And if there are areas that are not working well for you often making minor changes to a process or strategy is just what you need to make a big difference in your personal or professional results.
What is NLP?
When NLP was first developed, the early models basically quoted people getting great results working in the field of therapy. However, along the way many of the behaviours, skills, and techniques happened to be extremely useful in other contexts, including communication, influence, and change. I have seen NLP used successfully in the context of leadership, sports, sales and persuasion, public speaking, and customised one-on-one coaching to name a few.
I've also observed newly-trained NLP students regularly help people overcome habits or limiting beliefs in a single session. However, it doesn't make them a therapist. People can gain therapeutic benefits from many things, like reading a book, going on vacation, walking amidst nature, and meditating. That does not make it therapy.
What counts as successful therapy is when people, who work closely with coaches and therapists in one-on-one sessions after having collapsed or snapped psychologically, are able to overcome obstacles and accomplish performance and behavioural transformation. Each beautiful moment, be it an individual effort or a couple struggling to keep their marriage has led me to learn a lot about human patterns and the way our mind functions.
Which certification to choose?
Decisions, decisions. So do you go for the Practitioner Certification or the Master Certification? How are they different?
The first programme broadly entails the tools to model, the techniques to create healthy interventions, and frames to understand your choices, goals, targets, and insecurities, and to empower yourself better for future.
On the other hand, Master Practitioner Programme entails mastering the process of modelling, techniques for coaching, and a way deeper hands-on practice of the interventions. And the biggest difference is more content.
Another explanation of the difference can be that at Practitioner level you will be able to apply NLP to contexts and situations that you are familiar and comfortable with, while in Master Practitioner you will be able to apply NLP to almost every situation you (or your client) may face."
Is this programme for you?
NLP is for everyone. If you're a student, a teacher, a housewife, a psychologist, a salesperson, a business owner, a corporate professional, an artist, well, you stand to benefit from it.
The scope is limitless as it is not bound to any field, sector, profession, gender, cast or creed. Pakistan doesn't have an abundance of therapists, counsellors, behavioural coaches or anyone whom you could turn to in order to discuss or cure your persistently harmful behaviours, habits or thought patterns. A whole new generation shift could happen with mentally and psychologically stronger individuals – women or men, youth or adult – with the advent of NLP Therapy in Pakistan.
People who register for NLP sharpen their observation and listening ability. You'll be able to identify patterns in people's behaviour and language, cut through distractions, and therefore respond to the subtext of their communication better. At the same time, your own thinking would benefit from these skills as you learn to identify the direction you want to take in your conversation and action.
That's just the beginning. To list a few more benefits, NLP would enable you to:
• Change, adopt or eliminate behaviours as you desire
• Choose your mental, emotional and physical states at any time
• Remove limiting beliefs; access powerful internal resources
• Get the results you want
With this certification you can become life coaches, motivational speakers, spiritual leaders, radio show hosts, writers, expert consultants or advisors, hypnotists, guided meditation experts or relaxation experts, yogis, personal trainers, soft skills trainer, wellness experts, career counsellors, therapists, mediators, marketers and much more.
It's not something you can do on your own, however. These benefits only happen with live training and practice. If you are seeking to learn to speak to your unconscious mind and bring about the desired change in your life as well as surroundings, you know where to sign up for now, don't you?
Times like these, when we are under lots of pressure, negative thoughts come naturally. It's positive thinking that you have to make a conscious effort about. One way to inculcate it as a habit is to practice gratitude. Just do it every day, like an exercise, like spending an hour at a gym.
A sales guru and a phenomenal coach in his lifetime, Zig Zagler, was confronted by a girl at one of his workshops who wanted to change her outlook on life. According to her, everybody at her office was conspiring against her. He asked her to think of at least one thing that was positive about her work life and to note them in her diary. Things like, "access to clean drinking water at office" are usually taken for granted. There's no harm in aiming higher; just don't forget to count your blessings. When you have a list, stand in front of a mirror and repeat them every day – loud and clear, with passion (incantation). "I love my job because –." He followed up on her a month later and her perspective had drastically changed.
Then comes forgiveness. It's the hardest of all, even if you "say" you have forgiven the person who has wronged you in any way. The test of forgiveness in any religion is when you can pray for that person.
Electricity can be used to light up a city, but it can also be used to electrocute someone.
NLP is like electricity. Its value depends on the positive or negative application.
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