Skip to content
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Tags
  • Popular
  • World
  • Users
  • Groups
Skins
  • Light
  • Brite
  • Cerulean
  • Cosmo
  • Flatly
  • Journal
  • Litera
  • Lumen
  • Lux
  • Materia
  • Minty
  • Morph
  • Pulse
  • Sandstone
  • Simplex
  • Sketchy
  • Spacelab
  • United
  • Yeti
  • Zephyr
  • Dark
  • Cyborg
  • Darkly
  • Quartz
  • Slate
  • Solar
  • Superhero
  • Vapor

  • Default (No Skin)
  • No Skin
Collapse
Brand Logo

agnos.is Forums

  1. Home
  2. Ask Lemmy
  3. Can we trust LLM CALCULATIONS?.

Can we trust LLM CALCULATIONS?.

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Ask Lemmy
asklemmy
69 Posts 48 Posters 3 Views
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • F [email protected]

    Ok, you have a moderately complex math problem you needed to solve. You gave the problem to 6 LLMS all paid versions. All 6 get the same numbers. Would you trust the answer?

    Q This user is from outside of this forum
    Q This user is from outside of this forum
    [email protected]
    wrote last edited by
    #50

    Most LLM's now call functions in the background. Most calculations are just simple Python expressions.

    F 1 Reply Last reply
    3
    • F [email protected]

      Ok, you have a moderately complex math problem you needed to solve. You gave the problem to 6 LLMS all paid versions. All 6 get the same numbers. Would you trust the answer?

      deathbybigsad@sh.itjust.worksD This user is from outside of this forum
      deathbybigsad@sh.itjust.worksD This user is from outside of this forum
      [email protected]
      wrote last edited by
      #51

      Yes, with absolute certainty.

      For example: 2 + 2 = 5

      It's absolutely correct and if you dispute it, big bro is gonna have to re-educated you on that.

      F 1 Reply Last reply
      3
      • deathbybigsad@sh.itjust.worksD [email protected]

        Yes, with absolute certainty.

        For example: 2 + 2 = 5

        It's absolutely correct and if you dispute it, big bro is gonna have to re-educated you on that.

        F This user is from outside of this forum
        F This user is from outside of this forum
        [email protected]
        wrote last edited by
        #52

        I NEED TO consult every LLM VIA TELEKINESIS QUANTUM ELECTRIC GRAVITY A AND B WAVE.

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • Q [email protected]

          Most LLM's now call functions in the background. Most calculations are just simple Python expressions.

          F This user is from outside of this forum
          F This user is from outside of this forum
          [email protected]
          wrote last edited by
          #53

          Yes. I was aware of that, but I was manipulated by an analog device

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • F [email protected]

            Ok, you have a moderately complex math problem you needed to solve. You gave the problem to 6 LLMS all paid versions. All 6 get the same numbers. Would you trust the answer?

            indigomoontrue@lemmy.worldI This user is from outside of this forum
            indigomoontrue@lemmy.worldI This user is from outside of this forum
            [email protected]
            wrote last edited by
            #54

            I test my local LLM for the first few weeks. Every "answer" it gives me i still look up elsewhere to confirm. Then when i see it is accurate, I still will check every 10 or so questions just to make sure. Unfortunately, I feel like they are making search engines worst on purpose so that the A.i. or in this case server or local LLMs can replace them. This is the sweet spot. I wouldn't advise getting any newer LLM's that will come out in the next few months (next generation).

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • F [email protected]

              Ok, you have a moderately complex math problem you needed to solve. You gave the problem to 6 LLMS all paid versions. All 6 get the same numbers. Would you trust the answer?

              typewar@infosec.pubT This user is from outside of this forum
              typewar@infosec.pubT This user is from outside of this forum
              [email protected]
              wrote last edited by
              #55

              No because there is randomness involved

              1 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • F [email protected]

                Ok, you have a moderately complex math problem you needed to solve. You gave the problem to 6 LLMS all paid versions. All 6 get the same numbers. Would you trust the answer?

                gedaliyah@lemmy.worldG This user is from outside of this forum
                gedaliyah@lemmy.worldG This user is from outside of this forum
                [email protected]
                wrote last edited by
                #56

                Here's an interesting post that gives a pretty good quick summary of when an LLM may be a good tool.

                Here's one key:

                Machine learning is amazing if:

                • The problem is too hard to write a rule-based system for or the requirements change sufficiently quickly that it isn't worth writing such a thing and,
                • The value of a correct answer is much higher than the cost of an incorrect answer.

                The second of these is really important.

                So if your math problem is unsolvable by conventional tools, or sufficiently complex that designing an expression is more effort than the answer is worth... AND ALSO it's more valuable to have an answer than it is to have a correct answer (there is no real cost for being wrong), THEN go ahead and trust it.

                If it is important that the answer is correct, or if another tool can be used, then you're better off without the LLM.

                The bottom line is that the LLM is not making a calculation. It could end up with the right answer. Different models could end up with the same answer. It's very unclear how much underlying technology is shared between models anyway.

                For example, if the problem is something like, "here is all of our sales data and market indicators for the past 5 years. Project how much of each product we should stock in the next quarter. " Sure, an LLM may be appropriately close to a professional analysis.

                If the problem is like "given these bridge schematics, what grade steel do we need in the central pylon?" Then, well, you are probably going to be testifying in front of congress one day.

                1 Reply Last reply
                11
                • typewar@infosec.pubT [email protected]

                  No because there is randomness involved

                  1 This user is from outside of this forum
                  1 This user is from outside of this forum
                  [email protected]
                  wrote last edited by
                  #57

                  That's why you ask 6 of them, and of they all come to the same conclusion then chances are it's either right, or a common pitfall.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  1
                  • F [email protected]

                    Ok, you have a moderately complex math problem you needed to solve. You gave the problem to 6 LLMS all paid versions. All 6 get the same numbers. Would you trust the answer?

                    T This user is from outside of this forum
                    T This user is from outside of this forum
                    [email protected]
                    wrote last edited by
                    #58

                    I mean, I don't know why you wouldn't just use something other than an LLM in that case

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • M [email protected]

                      LLMs don't and can't do math. They don't calculate anything, that's just not how they work. Instead, they do this:

                      2 + 2 = ? What comes after that? Oh, I remember! It's '4'!

                      It could be right, it could be wrong. If there's enough pattern in the training data, it could remember the correct answer. Otherwise it'll just place a plausible looking value there (behavior known as AI hallucination). So, you can not "trust" it.

                      greg@lemmy.caG This user is from outside of this forum
                      greg@lemmy.caG This user is from outside of this forum
                      [email protected]
                      wrote last edited by
                      #59

                      They don’t calculate anything

                      They calculate the statistical probability of the next token in an array of previous tokens

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • F [email protected]

                        I did dozens of times. Same calculations.

                        P This user is from outside of this forum
                        P This user is from outside of this forum
                        [email protected]
                        wrote last edited by
                        #60

                        That doesn't change the logic I gave

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • M [email protected]

                          LLMs don't and can't do math. They don't calculate anything, that's just not how they work. Instead, they do this:

                          2 + 2 = ? What comes after that? Oh, I remember! It's '4'!

                          It could be right, it could be wrong. If there's enough pattern in the training data, it could remember the correct answer. Otherwise it'll just place a plausible looking value there (behavior known as AI hallucination). So, you can not "trust" it.

                          N This user is from outside of this forum
                          N This user is from outside of this forum
                          [email protected]
                          wrote last edited by [email protected]
                          #61

                          A good one will interpret what you are asking and then write code, often python I notice, and then let that do the math and return the answer. A math problem should use a math engine and that's how it gets around it.

                          But really why bother, go ask wolfram alpha or just write the math problem in code yourself.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          1
                          • F [email protected]

                            Ok, you have a moderately complex math problem you needed to solve. You gave the problem to 6 LLMS all paid versions. All 6 get the same numbers. Would you trust the answer?

                            P This user is from outside of this forum
                            P This user is from outside of this forum
                            [email protected]
                            wrote last edited by
                            #62

                            Well, I wanted to know the answer and formula for future value of a present amount. The AI answer that came up was clear, concise, and thorough. I was impressed and put the formula into my spreadsheet. My answer did not match the AI answer. So I kept looking for what I did wrong. Finally I just put the value into a regular online calculator and it matched the answer my spreadsheet was returning.

                            So AI gave me the right equation and the wrong answer. But it did it in a very impressive way. This is why I think it's important for AI to only be used as a tool and not a replacement for knowledge. You have to be able to understand how to check the results.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            2
                            • F [email protected]

                              Ok, you have a moderately complex math problem you needed to solve. You gave the problem to 6 LLMS all paid versions. All 6 get the same numbers. Would you trust the answer?

                              A This user is from outside of this forum
                              A This user is from outside of this forum
                              [email protected]
                              wrote last edited by
                              #63

                              Nope, language models by inherent nature, xannot be used to calculate. Sure theoretically you could have input parsed, with proper training, to find specific variables, input those to a database and have that data mathematically transformed back into language data.

                              No LLMs do actual math, they only produce the most likely output to a given input based on trained data.
                              If I input:
                              What is 1 plus 1?

                              Then given the model, most likely has trained repetition on an answer to follow that being 1 + 1 = 2, that will be the output. If it was trained on data that was 1 + 1 = 5, then that would be the output.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              3
                              • F [email protected]

                                Ok, you have a moderately complex math problem you needed to solve. You gave the problem to 6 LLMS all paid versions. All 6 get the same numbers. Would you trust the answer?

                                B This user is from outside of this forum
                                B This user is from outside of this forum
                                [email protected]
                                wrote last edited by
                                #64

                                I’ve used LLMs quite a few times to find partial derivatives / gradient functions for me, and I know it’s correct because I plug them into a gradient descent algorithm and it works. I would never trust anything an LLM gives blindly no matter how advanced it is, but in this particular case I could actually test the output since it's something I was implementing in an algorithm, so if it didn't work I would know immediately.

                                F 2 Replies Last reply
                                3
                                • B [email protected]

                                  I’ve used LLMs quite a few times to find partial derivatives / gradient functions for me, and I know it’s correct because I plug them into a gradient descent algorithm and it works. I would never trust anything an LLM gives blindly no matter how advanced it is, but in this particular case I could actually test the output since it's something I was implementing in an algorithm, so if it didn't work I would know immediately.

                                  F This user is from outside of this forum
                                  F This user is from outside of this forum
                                  [email protected]
                                  wrote last edited by
                                  #65

                                  That's rad, dude. I wish I knew how to do that. Hey, dude I imagined a cosmological model that fits the data with two fewer parameters then the standard model. Planke data. I I've checked the numbers, but I don't have the credentials. I need somebody to check it out. This is a it and a verbal explanation for the model by Academia.edu. It's way easier to listen first before looking. I don't want recognition or anything. Just for someone to review it. It's a short paper. https://youtu.be/_l8SHVeua1Y

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  2
                                  • B [email protected]

                                    I’ve used LLMs quite a few times to find partial derivatives / gradient functions for me, and I know it’s correct because I plug them into a gradient descent algorithm and it works. I would never trust anything an LLM gives blindly no matter how advanced it is, but in this particular case I could actually test the output since it's something I was implementing in an algorithm, so if it didn't work I would know immediately.

                                    F This user is from outside of this forum
                                    F This user is from outside of this forum
                                    [email protected]
                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #66

                                    https://www.academia.edu/129622239/A_Resonant_Shell_Cosmology_A_Reflective_Dynamic_Boundary_as_an_Alternative_to_ΛCDM

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • M [email protected]

                                      LLMs don't and can't do math. They don't calculate anything, that's just not how they work. Instead, they do this:

                                      2 + 2 = ? What comes after that? Oh, I remember! It's '4'!

                                      It could be right, it could be wrong. If there's enough pattern in the training data, it could remember the correct answer. Otherwise it'll just place a plausible looking value there (behavior known as AI hallucination). So, you can not "trust" it.

                                      zos_kia@lemmynsfw.comZ This user is from outside of this forum
                                      zos_kia@lemmynsfw.comZ This user is from outside of this forum
                                      [email protected]
                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #67

                                      Actually no, they have some sort of "circuits" that approximate math, which is even more interesting imo. Still not reliable in the slightest, of course.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • G [email protected]

                                        Finally an intelligent comment. So many comments in here that don't realize most LLM's are bundled with calculators that just do the math.

                                        facedeer@fedia.ioF This user is from outside of this forum
                                        facedeer@fedia.ioF This user is from outside of this forum
                                        [email protected]
                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #68

                                        Anti-AI sentiment is extremely strong in every part of the Fediverse I've seen so far, usually my comments get downvoted heavily even when I'm just describing factual details of how it works. I expect a lot of people simply don't bother after a while.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        1
                                        • F [email protected]

                                          Ok, you have a moderately complex math problem you needed to solve. You gave the problem to 6 LLMS all paid versions. All 6 get the same numbers. Would you trust the answer?

                                          B This user is from outside of this forum
                                          B This user is from outside of this forum
                                          [email protected]
                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #69

                                          Use Wolfram Alpha for mathematics

                                          1 Reply Last reply
                                          1
                                          Reply
                                          • Reply as topic
                                          Log in to reply
                                          • Oldest to Newest
                                          • Newest to Oldest
                                          • Most Votes


                                          • Login

                                          • Login or register to search.
                                          • First post
                                            Last post
                                          0
                                          • Categories
                                          • Recent
                                          • Tags
                                          • Popular
                                          • World
                                          • Users
                                          • Groups