Databricks Releases Code for creating Open-Source Chatbots

Databricks, a San Francisco-based startup, recently released open-source code that enables companies to create their own chatbots similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. This involves a feasible alternative to training a large language model with massive computing resources and power. Here’s what you need to know about this development.

What is Databricks?

Databricks is a cloud-based data mining and analytics software provider that enables businesses to collect, process, and analyze large amounts of data. The company’s platform allows data scientists and engineers to collaborate on building and deploying machine learning models and applications.

Databricks’ Open-Source Code for Chatbots

Databricks open-source code enables businesses to create their own chatbots similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. An AI model is an algorithm that can learn from data and perform various tasks. Now businesses can create chatbots that are comparable to ChatGPT with substantial resources and computing power.

Databricks CEO Ali Ghodsi said that the open-source code is aimed at demonstrating a viable alternative to training a large language model. OpenAI trains its AI models using massive amounts of data on a supercomputer provided by investor Microsoft Corp. OpenAI’s computing costs are exorbitant, and the company charges businesses for access to its models for their own applications. In contrast, Databricks’ open-source code enables businesses to create their own chatbots without having to pay for access to OpenAI’s models.

Limitations of Databricks’ Open-Source Code

While the open-source chatbot developed by Databricks is impressive, Ghodsi stated that the company has not yet released formal benchmark tests to demonstrate that the chatbot matches ChatGPT’s performance. This caveat implies that Databricks’ open-source code is still in development and may not be as robust as OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Training AI Models with Databricks’ Software

Databricks is urging enterprises to train their own AI models using its software. Ghodsi noted that the company’s researchers took a two-year-old model. The model was freely available. The team trained it with a small amount of data for three hours on a single computer that anyone with a credit card could rent. He added that the future would be characterized by everyone having their own model. A model that that could be trained and improved without giving away data to third parties.

Future Outlook for Open-source Chatbots

Databricks announcement comes at a time of venture capital investments aimed at startups looking to train their AI models. Large tech firms such as Google and Meta Platforms are also rushing to shrink the size and cost of AI models while improving their accuracy. Ghodsi believes that the future of AI models is in making them smaller until they become open-sourced and available to everyone.

Conclusion

Databricks’ open-source code is an exciting development that enables businesses to create their chatbots without incurring massive computing costs. However, the limitations of the code imply that it may not be as robust as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Nevertheless, it will enable businesses to train their AI models and have control over their data. As the race to improve AI model accuracy and reduce computing costs continues, in the future everyone will have their own open-sourced models .

Source: Reuters