Setting up an LLM application – local open source models
Now, we shall touch on the complementary approach to a closed source implementation, that is, an open source, local implementation.
We will see how you can achieve a similar functional outcome to the one we reviewed in the previous section, without having to register for an account, pay, or share prompts that contain possibly sensitive information with a third-party vendor, such as OpenAI.
About the different aspects that distinguish between open source and closed source
When selecting between open source LLMs, such as LLaMA and GPT-J, and closed source, API-based models such as OpenAI’s GPT, several critical factors must be considered.
Firstly, cost is a major factor. Open source LLMs often have no licensing fees, but they require significant computational resources for training and inference, which can be expensive. Closed source models, while potentially carrying a subscription or pay-per-use fee...