The spotlight on large language models (LLMs) remains intense, with the debut of ChatGPT capturing global attention and sparking discussions about generative AI's potential. ChatGPT, a public LLM, has stirred excitement and concern regarding its ability to generate content or code with minimal prompts, prompting individuals and smaller businesses to contemplate its impact on their operations.
Enterprises now face a pivotal decision: whether to utilize public LLMs like ChatGPT or develop their own private models. Public LLMs, such as ChatGPT, are trained on vast amounts of publicly available data, offering impressive results across various tasks. However, reliance on internet-derived data poses risks, including inaccurate outputs or potential dissemination of sensitive information.
In contrast, private LLMs, trained on proprietary data, offer deeper insights tailored to specific enterprise needs, albeit with less breadth compared to public models. Concerns about data security loom large for enterprises, especially considering the risk of exposing sensitive information to hackers targeting LLM login credentials.
To mitigate these risks, companies like Google, Amazon, and Apple are implementing strict access controls and governance measures for public LLM usage. Moreover, the challenge of building unique intellectual property (IP) atop widely accessible public models drives many enterprises towards private LLM development.
Enterprises are increasingly exploring private LLM solutions tailored to their unique data and operational requirements. Platforms like IBM's WatsonX offer enterprise-grade tools for LLM development, empowering organizations to leverage AI engines aligned with their core data and business objectives.
As the debate between public and private LLMs continues, enterprises must weigh the benefits of leveraging existing models against the advantages of developing proprietary solutions. Those embracing private LLM development are positioning themselves to harness AI capabilities aligned with their long-term strategic goals.