Large language models and linguistic intentionality

arXiv:2404.09576v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: Do large language models like Chat-GPT or LLaMa meaningfully use the words they produce? Or are they merely clever prediction machines, simulating language use by producing statistically plausible text? There have already been some initial attempts to answer this question by showing that these models meet the criteria for entering meaningful states according to metasemantic theories of mental content. In this paper, I will argue for a different approach - that we should instead consider …

abstract arxiv chat cs.ai cs.cl gpt language language models large language large language models llama machines prediction question text type words