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An LLM is a lossy encyclopedia

(simonwillison.net)
509 points tosh | 2 comments | 29 Aug 25 09:40 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source

(the referenced HN thread starts at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45060519)
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AndyPa32 ◴[02 Sep 25 09:48 UTC] No.45100896[source]▶
The first thing I tell the juniors under my supervision: any LLM is not a fact machine, even though sometimes it pretends to be. Double check everything!
replies(2): >>45100958 #>>45101338 #
1. bodge5000 ◴[02 Sep 25 09:56 UTC] No.45100958[source]▶
The thing I always tell those who heavily trust its output is to ask it something you either already know the answer to or are something of an expert in; the flaws become much more evident.

The old joke is that you can get away with anything with a hi-vis vest and enough confidence, and LLM's pretty much work on that principle

replies(1): >>45100983 #
2. thw_9a83c ◴[02 Sep 25 10:00 UTC] No.45100983[source]▶
A super heavy overconfidence of any LLM is what confuses a lot of people.