---
title: "Navigating the AI Wave: Innovations, Hurdles, and Prospects"
description: The AI wave primer, given to the Round Rock Chamber — origins of large language models, practical tips, and a roadmap for organizations.
publishDate: 2024-06-04
canonical: https://www.mandalivia.com/talks/round-rock-chamber/
---

Large language models break from the mental models of software we're used to. For
decades we worked with deterministic programs that explicitly follow directions.
Language models are probabilistic — exciting when you want imaginative creation,
alarming when you need facts.

This presentation traces the origins of large language models and gives practical
tips for using them. It closes with the questions an organization can ask itself to
find its own roadmap for generative AI.