I agree that previous methods for analysing software largely break down for LLMs and other ML systems trained on lots of data. Some software tooling can be used effectively in compiling, deploying, hosting, and managing models, but what goes on within them or how to tune them is different.
I’m unhappy with the name choice though. Not only for the reason given by Gerald Monroe that the “deepness” or inscrutability was also present in previous technologies, but also because it doesn’t lead to an easy adjective. Consider this:
manual
mechanical
electric
electronic
digital
The technology can be described by an adjective applied to many nouns from the previous level.
machines are mechanical tools
electric machines
electronic has the reduction to smallest currents in the name and there are electronic calculators, electronic watches etc
digital makes electronics binary
I think it may be too early to give the new level a new name as we don’t know what the key adjective will be. It could be generative, predictive, even autonomous. Just going by what we see right now generative seems like a good candidate. It’s even used in many contacts and fits the pattern: Generative software.
I agree that previous methods for analysing software largely break down for LLMs and other ML systems trained on lots of data. Some software tooling can be used effectively in compiling, deploying, hosting, and managing models, but what goes on within them or how to tune them is different. I’m unhappy with the name choice though. Not only for the reason given by Gerald Monroe that the “deepness” or inscrutability was also present in previous technologies, but also because it doesn’t lead to an easy adjective. Consider this:
manual
mechanical
electric
electronic
digital The technology can be described by an adjective applied to many nouns from the previous level.
machines are mechanical tools
electric machines
electronic has the reduction to smallest currents in the name and there are electronic calculators, electronic watches etc
digital makes electronics binary
I think it may be too early to give the new level a new name as we don’t know what the key adjective will be. It could be generative, predictive, even autonomous. Just going by what we see right now generative seems like a good candidate. It’s even used in many contacts and fits the pattern: Generative software.