Ruyant, Quentin (2025) What do Large Language Models Represent? [Preprint]
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Abstract
If large language models (LLMs) are models, what do they represent exactly? I address this question by applying the various conceptions of epistemic representation that have been entertained by philosophers of science to this case. After discarding the idea that they would represent the structure of natural languages, I argue that LLMs do not directly represent the world by linguistic means either, but rather a certain class of appropriate linguistic production that is constructed by their makers. They are mostly used to generate fictitious instances of this class, although these fictions can be performative when appropriated by humans. The main implication of this analysis is that conversing with a LLM chatbot amounts to engaging in a fiction, where our own imagination plays a central role. I examine some ethical consequences of this conclusion regarding how LLMs are currently deployed in numerous places to serve as “AI assistants”.
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| Item Type: | Preprint | ||||||
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| Keywords: | Large language models Artificial intelligence Scientific Representation | ||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Artificial Intelligence > AI and Ethics Specific Sciences > Artificial Intelligence > Machine Learning General Issues > Models and Idealization |
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| Depositing User: | Mr. Quentin Ruyant | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 18 Dec 2025 13:58 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 18 Dec 2025 13:58 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 27559 | ||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Artificial Intelligence > AI and Ethics Specific Sciences > Artificial Intelligence > Machine Learning General Issues > Models and Idealization |
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| Date: | 2025 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/27559 |
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