Spreadsheets Are All You Need: Excel Meets GPT with Ishan Anand
Published:
Ishan Anand discusses his project Spreadsheets Are All You Need, which implements GPT-2 in Excel to teach how large language models work, and explores the potential of combining AI with spreadsheets.
Episode Summary
In this episode, Ishan Anand, former CTO of LayerZero and current VP of Product at Edgio, discusses his innovative project “Spreadsheets Are All You Need”. This project implements GPT-2, a precursor to ChatGPT, entirely in Excel to demystify how large language models work. Ishan explains the anatomy of transformers, the core technology behind modern AI language models, using accessible analogies and visual aids. He explains the potential of combining AI with spreadsheet interfaces, suggesting it could become a powerful tool for interacting with and fine-tuning AI models. The conversation also touches on the broader implications of AI in various fields, the importance of understanding AI for both technical and non-technical professionals, and the exciting possibilities that AI opens up for builders and creators.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Background
This chapter introduces Ishan Anand, discussing his background as the former CTO of LayerZero and current VP of Product at Edgio. Ishan explains Edgio’s role in the tech industry, comparing it to a logistics company entering the passenger airline business. He touches on his transition from web development to AI, setting the stage for the main topic of the conversation.
03:54 - AI Engineer World Fair and the Role of AI Engineers
Ishan shares his experience at the AI Engineer World Fair, explaining the concept of an AI engineer and their crucial role in bridging the gap between raw AI models and practical applications. He uses historical analogies, such as the development of automobiles, to illustrate the current state of AI technology and the challenges it faces in becoming more reliable and user-friendly.
10:41 - Introduction to “Spreadsheets Are All You Need”
This chapter dives into Ishan’s project “Spreadsheets Are All You Need”. He explains that it’s a course and spreadsheet implementation of GPT-2, designed to teach how large language models work. Ishan discusses the motivation behind using Excel as a platform and the challenges he faced in implementing a complex AI model in a spreadsheet environment.
16:20 - The Anatomy of Transformers
Ishan provides a detailed explanation of how transformers, the technology behind modern language models, work. He uses visual aids and analogies to break down complex concepts like tokenization, embeddings, and attention mechanisms. This chapter offers insights into the inner workings of AI language models, making them more accessible to a general audience.
32:30 - Practical Demonstration and Excel Implementation
In this section, Ishan demonstrates the Excel implementation of GPT-2, showing how the model predicts the next word in a sequence. He explains the various components of the spreadsheet, including the weight matrices and how they contribute to the model’s performance. This practical demonstration helps solidify the theoretical concepts discussed earlier.
47:29 - The Future of AI and Spreadsheets
Ishan discusses the potential future applications of combining AI with spreadsheet interfaces. He explores ideas about how this combination could be used for iterative prompt engineering, fine-tuning models, and creating more accessible AI tools for non-technical users. This chapter also touches on the broader implications of AI in various industries and the importance of understanding AI for professionals in different fields.
58:24 - Course Details and Closing Thoughts
The final chapter covers details about Ishan’s upcoming course based on “Spreadsheets Are All You Need”. He explains the format of the course, its target audience, and his teaching philosophy. The conversation concludes with discussions about the exciting possibilities that AI opens up for builders and creators, and Ishan’s recommendations for staying engaged with AI technology in daily work and life.