As the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) continue to evolve, the term “chatbot” has become synonymous with a new era of digital interactions. What was once a seemingly futuristic concept is now an integral part of our everyday lives. However, it is the Machine Learning models underlying them - Large Language Models (LLMs) - that are the true powers in these waters.

Businesses are deeply confused about what AI is, and they have every right to be. Differences in terminology have plagued the Data-AI-Software landscape for many years, as anyone who has ever looked for a job as a “Data Scientist” will attest. Attempts to demystify the topic either conjure a series of analogies that are then strained to breaking point, or try to delve into the actual technology behind the hype, leaving everyone more confused than they were before.

Recently, Deep Learning has revolutionised a multitude of technical fields, most notably Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing. The implications for business are enormous, with the ramifications of these change still filtering through the mostly technology-shy world of business. There are signs that Combinatorial Optimisation might be the next technical field to undergo Revolution-By-Neural-Network. If this comes to fruition, then the impact on business will be seismic.