INF 385T: Special Topics in Information Science: Fine Tuning Open Source Large Language Models

Instructor Description

Introduction to Fine-Tuning Open-Source Large Language Models (LLMs) through project-based applications and real-world examples. The course will begin with a foundational understanding of Natural Language Processing (NLP), focusing on Text Preprocessing techniques such as tokenization and vectorization. A basic overview of Large Language Models will be provided, covering the fundamental structure and architecture of commonly used Open-Source Frameworks. The course will then focus on three key methods for fine-tuning and Evaluating LLMs: * LLM Performance and Quality Metrics * Supervised Learning * Reinforcement Learning Each method will be explored through both theoretical explanations and practical group-based projects, applying these concepts to real-world examples. Students will engage in hands-on projects to strengthen their understanding of how to customize and optimize LLMs for specific tasks or domains.