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LLMs can get "brain rot"

(llm-brain-rot.github.io)
466 points tamnd | 2 comments | 21 Oct 25 14:24 UTC | HN request time: 0.018s | source
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Version467 ◴[22 Oct 25 06:55 UTC] No.45665703[source]▶
So they trained LLM's on a bunch of junk and then notice that it got worse? I don't understand how that's a surprising, or even interesting result?
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nazgul17 ◴[22 Oct 25 07:05 UTC] No.45665753[source]▶
They also tried to heal the damage, to partial avail. Besides, it's science: you need to test your hypotheses empirically. Also, to draw attention to the issue among researchers, performing a study and sharing your results is possibly the best way.
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yieldcrv ◴[22 Oct 25 07:09 UTC] No.45665776[source]▶
I don’t understand, so this is just about training an LLM with bad data and just having a bad LLM?

just use a different model?

dont train it with bad data and just start a new session if your RAG muffins went off the rails?

what am I missing here

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1. ramon156 ◴[22 Oct 25 07:23 UTC] No.45665849[source]▶
Do you know the conceot of brain rot? The gist here is that if you train on bad data (if you fuel your brain with bad information) it becomes bad
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2. yieldcrv ◴[22 Oct 25 14:14 UTC] No.45669490[source]▶
I don’t understand why this is news or relevant information in October 2025 as opposed to October 2022