AI, from the Parts Up · Contents
Illustrations and analogies
18 interactives, 13 diagrams and 13 analogies, chapter by chapter. The interactives respond to a tap or a click on the web; on paper they print as a still picture.
Chapter 1 What is a language model?
- DiagramThe four parts at workp. 1, Autocomplete that read a library
- AnalogyAutocomplete that read a libraryp. 1, Autocomplete that read a library
- InteractiveWhere “LLM” fitsp. 2, Where "LLM" fits
Chapter 2 How does it work?
- InteractiveBe the modelp. 1, Predict, pick, repeat
- InteractiveTokenizer playgroundp. 2, Tokens
- InteractiveThe desk (context window)p. 3, The desk
- AnalogyAn apprenticep. 3, The desk
Chapter 3 Shannon's bits to Claude's tokens
- DiagramShannon’s 1948 specimens, beside a modern modelShannon's bits to Claude's tokens
Chapter 4 Interlude: talk to ELIZA (1966)
- DiagramHow ELIZA answeredInterlude: talk to ELIZA (1966)
Chapter 5 From early models to today
- InteractiveThe line from 1948 to todayp. 1, From counting to transformers
Chapter 6 Why there are different sizes
- AnalogyVehiclesp. 1, A family of sizes
- DiagramThe top model: one model, two levels of safeguardsp. 2, The top rung
- InteractivePick the right modelp. 3, Pick the right model
Chapter 7 Small and free models
- AnalogyA pocket calculator vs. a research librarianp. 1, What small models are good for
Chapter 8 The prompt
- AnalogyBriefing a contractorWhat the model actually reads
- DiagramWhat the model actually readsWhat the model actually reads
Chapter 9 The harness
- DiagramInside every harnessp. 1, The body around the brain
- AnalogySame pilot, different aircraftp. 1, The body around the brain
- InteractiveOne brain, many bodiesp. 2, One brain, many bodies
Chapter 10 Tools
- AnalogySurgeon and surgical nursep. 1, The hands
- DiagramSix kinds of toolsp. 1, The hands
- InteractiveThe agent loop, step by stepp. 2, The agent loop
Chapter 11 How it all fits together
- InteractiveHow it all fits togetherp. 1, The whole loop
- InteractiveBuild your own AI systemp. 2, Build your own
Chapter 12 Where do my words go?
- AnalogySame conversation, different roomsp. 1, Whose agreement is it?
- InteractiveYour words go on a tripp. 2, Each hop, its own agreement
- DiagramA regulated workspace, room by roomp. 3, Health and student records
Chapter 13 Asking well
- AnalogyBriefing a tempp. 1, The parts of a request
- InteractiveWhat would it have to guess?p. 1, The parts of a request
Chapter 14 Check before you trust
- AnalogyA new hire’s first reportp. 1, Fluent isn’t the same as true
- InteractiveHow would you check it?p. 2, How to check
Chapter 15 Before you share
- DiagramThe three questions every reader bringsp. 1, Shorter is kinder
- AnalogyA label on the packagep. 2, Say how AI helped
- InteractiveBefore you sharep. 2, Say how AI helped
Chapter 16 Knowing when not to
- AnalogyA ghostwriterp. 1, Some calls are yours
- InteractiveWho should decide?p. 2, Who should decide?
Appendix B Case study: small models in a coding harness
- DiagramThe score, in three groupsp. 2, The score, in three groups
- DiagramCost and time, model by modelp. 6, Cost and time
Appendix C Check yourself
- InteractiveCheck yourself: the partsp. 1, The parts
- InteractiveCheck yourself: your datap. 2, Your data
- InteractiveSort the datap. 3, Where can this go?
Appendix F For builders
- AnalogyA job sitep. 1, Set the context
- DiagramBrief, build, test, review, approvep. 2, Review, test, verify
- DiagramA tool call, message by messagep. 3, Under the hood: a tool call