How To Keep Your Algos Fresh
Algorithms may sound intimidating, but they’re not as complex as they seem. At their core, algorithms are like recipes, providing step-by-step instructions that help machines process data, solve problems, and make decisions.
Imagine your favourite dish… say a carbonara! It’s reliable, comforting, and always hits the spot. But over time, even the best recipes need refreshing. Maybe new ingredients are available, or your tastes have changed. Similarly, algorithms need regular updates to keep them effective, accurate, and relevant.
In the ever-changing world of AI, where breakthroughs seem to happen weekly, keeping algorithms fresh is critical. Whether it’s the AI behind your Netflix recommendations or the chatbot helping with customer service, algorithms shape how we interact with technology.
Here’s a fun fact: Netflix’s recommendation system influences 80% of what its users watch—now that’s the power of an algorithm!*
The good news? Understanding how algorithms stay up to date isn’t just for data scientists. With the right tools and a bit of curiosity, anyone can experiment with and improve them. In this blog, we’ll uncover how algorithms work, why updates matter, and practical ways you can get involved.
What’s an Algorithm Anyway?
Think of an algorithm as a recipe, but instead of baking a cake, it’s solving problems and making decisions. In the world of AI, algorithms are the step-by-step instructions that guide machines to process data and deliver outcomes. They’re behind the scenes of the tech you use every day, making your life easier and often without you even realising it.
Going back to the Netflix example, its algorithm analyses what you’ve watched and suggests shows or movies you’re likely to enjoy. Or Google Maps, which calculates traffic patterns and suggests the fastest route to your destination. These are just a couple of ways algorithms work their magic, quietly shaping our daily experiences.
But algorithms don’t work in isolation. They rely on fresh data to keep up with our changing preferences and behaviours. Imagine if Netflix never updated its recommendations, it might still nudge you to watch Love Actually for the Nth time.
Algorithms need to evolve to match changing tastes.
So, whether it’s finding your next favourite binge-watch or helping you beat the morning traffic, keeping algorithms fresh is what makes the tech we rely on smarter, sharper, and useful.
How ChatGPT’s Algorithm Works
Have you ever wondered how ChatGPT crafts responses that feel natural, insightful, and (most of the time) helpful? Imagine ChatGPT as a master chef, trained to whip up the perfect dish for every question you ask. Here’s how it all comes together:
The Training Phase
Picture ChatGPT as a chef in culinary school. To start, it devours every recipe it can find… from books, websites, and conversations. This process helps it understand patterns in language. This involves how words fit together, the flavours of different writing styles, and how to whip up coherent responses.
Behind the scenes, this learning happens through a clever piece of AI architecture called a transformer. It’s designed to predict the next word in a sentence based on what came before.
Analogy: Think of this stage as teaching a chef all about flavours, ingredients, and techniques so they can combine them into something new and delicious.
2. Fine-Tuning
Once the basics are mastered, it’s time to add some personality. ChatGPT gets fine-tuned to behave politely, provide useful answers, and steer clear of controversial or inappropriate topics. This is done through a process called ….
3. Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF).
Here’s how it works. Human reviewers rate the quality of ChatGPT’s responses, and the feedback is used to adjust its behaviour. Essentially, it learns what to serve and what to leave off the menu.
Analogy: Like teaching the chef to cater their dishes to their diners…extra spice for some, mild and comforting for others.
4. Inference
Finally, when you ask ChatGPT a question, it springs into action like a chef preparing a dish on-demand. It processes your input, predicts the next word (or token, in AI-speak), and crafts a coherent, context-aware response, one step at a time.
Now it considers the whole conversation to ensure its answer makes sense.
Analogy: Imagine a chef crafting a dish tailored to your specific taste preferences, plating it beautifully, and serving it piping hot.
The Recipe for AI Success
Just like a chef needs fresh ingredients and regular practice, ChatGPT relies on updated training data and fine-tuning to stay sharp. Its algorithm works tirelessly to serve responses that are timely, relevant, and as satisfying as your favourite meal.
Algorithms like ChatGPT may seem magical, but there’s no wand-waving involved—just careful training, regular updates, and lots of fine-tuning. This process keeps algorithms relevant, whether they’re recommending your next binge-worthy show or powering tools that make your work easier.
You don’t need to be a tech wizard to explore AI. With the right tools, anyone can start experimenting. Build your own assistant, collaborate with your team, or simply dive into the world of algorithms.