LLM

What Does LLM Mean?

The Quick Answer

In the world of artificial intelligence, LLM means "Large Language Model."

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In legal and academic circles, it stands for "Master of Laws."

Large Language Model

Large Language Models (LLMs) are a type of artificial intelligence (AI) designed to process, understand, and generate human language. They're built by training on enormous datasets of text, which helps them learn the nuances of language, context, and grammar. This training enables LLMs to perform a wide range of tasks such as translating languages, generating creative content, and even coding.

Examples of LLMs include OpenAI's ChatGPT, which can write essays, create poems, or code in response to user prompts. Another example is Google's BERT, which is designed to better understand the intent behind search queries. LLMs are also used in voice assistants, email auto-completion, and customer service chatbots. Visit Wikipedia for more information on LLMs, and check out our comprehensive glossary of AI terms.

Master of Laws

A Master of Laws (LLM) is an advanced, postgraduate academic degree in law. The abbreviation comes from its Latin name, "Legum Magister." In Latin, the plural form of a word is often indicated by doubling the first letter. "Legum" is the plural form of "lex," which means law. So, "LL" stands for "laws," and "M" stands for "Magister," which means master. This is why the abbreviation is "LLM" rather than "LM" – it reflects the Latin tradition of pluralizing the first letter in legal and academic contexts.

The LLM degree typically requires a first degree in law and is a one-year full-time program. It is often pursued by legal professionals and law graduates who wish to gain specialized knowledge in a specific area of law, such as international law, human rights, tax law, or corporate law, as the program offers an opportunity for deeper understanding of law, and for some, it's a way to gain expertise in a foreign legal system, which can be crucial for international legal practices. It's also used by some as a stepping stone towards academic research or teaching careers in law. The LLM is recognized globally, but the exact requirements and implications of the degree can vary significantly between countries and universities.

Image for LLM

When I write LLM, I mean this:

When talking about AI, LLM means "Large Language Model."

Summary of Key Points for the First Definition

"Large Language Model" is the most common definition for LLM in the context of artificial Intelligence.

LLM
Definition:	Large Language Model
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Summary of Key Points for the Second Definition

"Master of Laws" is a common definition for LLM in legal and academic circles.

LLM
Definition:	Master of Laws
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	5: Extremely difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults

An Academic Look at LLM

vector image of a teacher to illustrate an academic look at GPT

LLM is classified as an initialism abbreviation, as it is pronounced one letter at a time. Other examples of initialisms are UK ("United Kingdom") and EW ("Electronic Warfare").

Initialisms are different to acronyms, which are abbreviations spoken as words (e.g., GOAT ("Greatest Of All Time"), NATO ("North Atlantic Treaty Organization").