Next Word Prediction

Next-word prediction, the task of forecasting the following word in a sequence, underpins many advancements in large language models (LLMs). Current research investigates the limitations of this approach, particularly its sensitivity to input and output probabilities and its impact on reasoning abilities, exploring alternative model architectures that incorporate retrieval mechanisms or move beyond the autoregressive paradigm. These efforts aim to improve LLMs' performance on complex tasks requiring deeper understanding and reasoning, while also addressing concerns about bias and safety. The findings have significant implications for both advancing fundamental understanding of language processing and improving the practical applications of LLMs across various domains.