Large Language Models from scratch
What it is
A short cartoon explaining how language models like ChatGPT work, from autocomplete and conditional probabilities to neural networks, gradient descent and backpropagation. It shows how networks act as universal function approximators.
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN recommends it as a quick, non-dumbed-down way to get up to speed on how LLMs are built.
- 3 people recommended it
- 2 different months
- 2 strong recommendations
- first 2023, last 2024
What HN commenters said
“I highly recommend this video by Steve Seitz”
Quick overview of how LLMs are built without dumbing down
sainez, 2023-04 · Strong recommendation · in “A Completely Non-Technical Explanation of Deep Learning”
“I had never made the connection between Fourier Series, Taylor Series, and Neural Networks”
Shows neural nets approximate functions like Fourier and Taylor series
peter_d_sherman, 2023-05 · Strong recommendation · in “Large Language Models from scratch (2022)”
“At least they helped me get up to speed fast.”
Short video that quickly gets you up to speed on LLMs
runetech, 2023-05 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: Can someone ELI5 Transformers and the “Attention is all we need” paper”
Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.
Topics: llm, neural networks, gradient descent, transformers, language modeling
Also recommended by the same people
lectureAT&T Archives: Similiarities of Wave Behavior (Bonus Edition)AT&T Tech Channel · 12 HN recommenders · 2014–2026
explainerThe Original Double Slit ExperimentVeritasium · 1 HN recommender · 2019–2021
explainerTransformers, the tech behind LLMs | Deep Learning Chapter 53Blue1Brown · 13 HN recommenders · 2024–2026
lectureDeep Dive into LLMs like ChatGPTAndrej Karpathy · 10 HN recommenders · 2025–2026
tutorialLet's build GPT: from scratch, in code, spelled out.Andrej Karpathy · 14 HN recommenders · 2023–2025
tutorialA Hackers' Guide to Language ModelsJeremy Howard · 8 HN recommenders · 2023–2024
talk[1hr Talk] Intro to Large Language ModelsAndrej Karpathy · 9 HN recommenders · 2023–2026
lectureSparks of AGI: early experiments with GPT-4Sebastien Bubeck · 7 HN recommenders · 2023–2026