I’ve recently had immense pleasure of diving deep into the fascinating world of natural language processing (NLP) with the folks over at Analytics Power Hour. In the episode, “Data Science + Words: An NLP Meet Cute for Analysts,” we discussed the intriguing intersections of data science, AI, and linguistics, particularly through the lens of NLP. It was an enlightening discussion that spanned from the historical roots of text analysis to the cutting-edge advancements in AI that are transforming how we understand and utilize language.
You might be surprised to learn that the journey of text-based analysis dates back to the 1400s, when monks meticulously examined texts to discern underlying sentiments—an early, manual form of sentiment analysis, if you will. Fast forward to the present day, and we’re employing sophisticated algorithms to sift through vast amounts of text, extracting insights and emotions with a precision that those early analysts could hardly have imagined.
One fascinating aspect we touched on was the portrayal of linguistics in popular culture, such as the 2016 movie starring Amy Adams as a linguist. It’s intriguing to see how these narratives intersect with the realities of NLP and the broader field of linguistics.
During our discussion, we also delved into some of the more nuanced technical aspects of NLP. For instance, have you ever considered the implications of stop-word removal in text analysis? It’s a common technique to filter out noise in the data, but it’s not without its challenges and considerations. Today’s more complex approaches used in Large Language Models are still highly path dependent technicians make in pre-processing (like how to treat stop-words and word chunks).
And let’s not forget about ELIZA, the early computer program that simulated a psychotherapist. While simplistic by today’s standards, ELIZA marked a significant milestone in the development of NLP, demonstrating the potential for machines to engage in a form of human-like interaction.
The common thread through all these topics is the incredible breadth and depth of NLP. It’s a field that continues to evolve, offering endless opportunities for exploration and innovation. Whether you’re a data scientist, a linguist, or just someone fascinated by the interplay of technology and language, there’s something in NLP for you.
If you’re interested in digging into the development and use cases for large language models and other NLP applications, I encourage you to join one of my upcoming talks, or book an appointment with me.
