GuideBeginnerRamez's Pick

What Is ChatGPT Doing … and Why Does It Work?

Stephen Wolfram

About This Resource

Stephen Wolfram's characteristically thorough deep-dive into the mechanics of ChatGPT. While longer than most introductions, it rewards careful reading with genuine understanding. Wolfram traces the path from basic neural networks to modern language models, explaining why these systems produce such remarkably human-like text -- and where the limits lie.

What you'll learn

  • Neural network fundamentals explained from first principles
  • How next-token prediction creates coherent text
  • The role of training data in shaping model behavior
  • Why ChatGPT can seem creative while following statistical patterns
  • Philosophical questions about what 'understanding' means for AI
What Is ChatGPT Doing … and Why Does It Work?